We Were Young
by bluedragon03
Summary: Seven year old Kagome must Have visited the old shrine on her family grounds a thousand times, so why did the monster within choose to drag her five hundred years into the past today? Faced with terrors that make men much older than her quake, Kagome finds herself an unlikely friend, a half demon who she finds sleeping under the Sacred Tree. Inuvember 2015 Full description inside!
1. Down the Rabbit Hole and Back Again

**Full Summary:** Seven year old Kagome must Have visited the old shrine on her family grounds a thousand times, so why did the monster within choose to drag her five hundred years into the past today? Faced with terrors that make men much older than her quake, Kagome finds herself an unlikely friend, a half demon who she finds sleeping under the Sacred Tree. Follow their misadventures as they grow up, laughing and learning together, meeting new, unusual people and fighting demons.

 **A/N- So I still don't have a computer, but I hijacked Mom's, so hopefully this turned out better!? If anything weird is up like the story is on here twice (it happened yesterday) tell me! I have since fixed the problem with "Lunches" and would love to know if anything is Wrong with this so I can fix it! Keep a lookout for the next chapters, which will be coming as my submissions for the rest of Inuvember 2015 AU Week!**

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"Kagome, be careful! You're not supposed to play in the well house!" Her mother called.

"I will, Mom," she replied. "I just have to get Buyou!"

She walked down the stairs, glancing around the old well house. It was broken down and worn. Most of the kids in her class thought the place would creepy, but it had never bothered her. It was just an old building. It's not like there were monsters living under the stairs (she had already checked.) The only thing she had as of yet been to afraid to check was the well itself, she didn't want to remove the old seals that had been placed, just in case.

"Buyou!" She called, her high voice breaking the ancient silence of the well house. She checked everywhere, under the stairs, in the rafters, until the only place left to look was in the well.

"Come on, Kagome," she told herself as she approached the well, "you're seven years old now, you can handle this." She heard rattling in the well as she approached it, and she jumped a foot in the air, but then she realized that that was a good thing. "How did you get down in the well?" She wondered aloud.

"Kagome!" Her Grandpa called. She turned when she heard his footsteps in the dirt behind her. "Kagome come out of there!"

"But Buyou is in the well!" She whined, "we have to save him or he'll be stuck forever!"

"What are you talking about, Kagome?" Her Grandfather said, "Buyou is right here!" Kagome blinked as Buyou came into sight and began rubbing against her grandfather's legs.

"Then what's in the well?" She said, turning back to face it. Just as she did, the wooden cover exploded, Kagome screamed and threw up her hands to cover her face, and shrieked when she felt something wrap around her waist and pull her into the well.

"KAGOME!" Her grandfather screamed.

"Give it to me," a woman's voice said, "give me the sacred jewel!" Kagome opened her eyes, then squeaked in horror when she saw the half human, half centipede woman who had a hold of her. A look down furthered her horror. The woman was partially decomposed, and she was reforming, right before Kagome's eyes!

"The Sacred what?" She asked it.

A long tongue unfurled from the centipede woman's mouth, and it reached out and licked her face. Kagome squeaked in horror.

"Ew!" She cried. "stop it!" She threw out her hand, and to her surprise, a bright pink light shone from her hand, and pushed the centipede woman away. She didn't want to let go, however, her hand still held tightly to Kagome's shirt. It tore off at the shoulder.

The air around Kagome was glowing, but as her feet touched the ground, everything faded to it's normal colors, and the hand finally let go of her. It lay on the ground next to her.

"Grandpa!" She cried, "Grandpa help me!" She looked up at the opening of the well, and didn't see her grandfather. "He probably went to call the firemen to get me out of the well. I'll just have to climb out by myself." So she did, and it was really hard.

She was scared that the vines she was using to climb were gonna break and she would fall, but she made it all the way to the top. When she climbed to the top and looked around, her jaw dropped. She wasn't in her family's shrine, in fact, she wasn't even in the well house. There was no well house, and there were bushes and trees where there was supposed to be sidewalks and buildings.

"Where am I?" She said aloud. She looked around, looking for things that she knew to help her get home, just like her mom had told her too. She was scared, she had only ever gotten lost from her family once before, and it had been scary then too. She nearly cried in relief when she glanced up and saw the Sacred Tree towering above the other trees. _That means I'm practically home!_ She thought excitedly. She ran towards it, brushing low hanging tree limbs out of her face until she reached the Sacred Tree, but there was someone there already.

A little boy in red clothes with white hair was curled up underneath the tree, sound asleep. Kagome furrowed her brow. It may have looked different, but that was the Sacred Tree alright, she would recognize it anywhere, and that boy was just sleeping there! Kagome knew that you weren't supposed to play near the tree, and she thought that rule applied to sleep to!o.

"Hey!" She said, marching right up to the boy with her hands on her hips, "you're not supposed to be sleeping there!" The boy didn't react, he didn't even stir, which is when Kagome saw the white fuzzy ears top of his head. "Is he in a costume?" She wondered. She reached out to touch his ears, then stopped. Her mom had always told her that you shouldn't touch other people without their permission.

"Hey," she said, leaning down close to his face, "hey, wake up! Mom say's we can't sleep here!" The little boy opened his eyes, then jumped, shouting in alarm. Kagome jumped back as well, yelping at his sudden movement.

"Hey!" She cried, "that was mean, you scared me!" She glared up at him. He had leapt to his feet, crouching down like he was going to run away, and had his fist held out like he wanted to hit her.

"I'm mean?" He asked indignantly. His voice cracked, like he didn't talk very much. "I'm not the one who scared a sleeping kid!"

"Well you're not supposed to sleep there, so you deserved it!"

"Oh yeah?" the boy snapped, "who says I'm not supposed to sleep here?"

"Mom does, and she's the boss!"

"She's not the boss of me!" The boy said.

"Yeah she is, because she's a grown up, and you're just a kid!"

"I don't have a mom, so I can do what I want!" Kagome got quiet. Her mom had told her to always be nice to kids who didn't have moms, because their lives were hard.

"Why don't you have a mom?" Kagome asked quietly. The boy looked sad suddenly.

"She died, and so did my dad."

"I'm sorry, do you have a brother?" Kagome asked, thinking of her baby brother Sota. "I have a little brother, his name is Sota, but he's really little."

"I have a brother, but I hate him! He's mean, he made my mom cry and he wouldn't help us when the others said they were gonna kill me!"

"That's so mean!" Kagome said, "I'm glad they didn't kill you, though!" The silver haired boy blinked at her with a funny expression on his face. "What?" Kagome asked.

"Why?" He asked, sounding shocked.

"Why what?"

"Why are you glad they didn't kill me? Everyone I've ever known, except for Mother, has hated me and wanted me dead, so why don't you?"

"Why would I?" Kagome replied, puzzled. "You've never done anything to me, and wanting someone to die is bad!"

"Yeah, but that has never stopped them," the boy said, crouching down like a dog in front of her and peering at her face. "They all chase me around and try to kill me!"

"Who is they?" Kagome asked, leaning forward and giving him a determined look, "I'll tell Mom and she'll make them stop! Everyone listens to Mom!" The silver haired boy blinked again.

"Why would she make them stop? She doesn't even know me!"

"Because Mom is nice!" Kagome declared, "she likes everyone!"

"She wouldn't like me," the boy said sullenly. "No one likes me because I'm a half demon."

"What's a half demon?"

"Um, it's someone who's half demon and half human, stupid."

"Don't call me stupid, that's mean!"

"Well it's true!"

"No it's not! What's stupid is pretending that you're a demon!"

"I ain't pretending, I really am! Half, anyway!"

"There's no such thing!"

"Is so! If there wasn't then what would that make me?"

"A lier!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE SO!" Kagome shouted. She got to her feet, glaring at the little boy who had been rude enough to call her stupid.

"AM NOT! MY DAD WAS A DOG DEMON AND SO IS MY BROTHER AND I'M HALF! SEE MY EARS?" He pointed at his fluffy white ears, looking triumphant.

"Those are just costume ears!" Kagome said, "they're not real!"

"Are so!" the boy said.

"I don't believe you!"

"I'll prove it!" The boy looked nervous, tugging at his ears self-consciously. "You can touch them, but you have to promise not to yank them! The noblemen always liked to yank them really hard and I didn't like it."

Kagome crossed her arms, thinking hard. "Alright," she agreed, "I promise." The boy lowered his head just enough so Kagome could reach up and touch his ears. They felt like the ears of the stray dogs that she would pet sometimes when they came up to the shrine. She couldn't feel any hair clips he might have used to attach them to his head, either, which left her with only one rational conclusion. This boy was part dog.

"You really are half dog!" She exclaimed, stepping back and grinning into his face.

"I'm not half dog!" The boy protested, "I'm half dog _demon."_

"But I thought demons were bad!"

"Most of them are, especially my brother!" He told her knowledgeably, "but I'm not! I never hurt a human who wasn't trying to hurt me!"

"Do humans try to hurt you often?" Kagome asked. The boy nodded.

"Yeah, they try to kill me and they don't even know me! It upset me at first, but now I'm used to it," he said, puffing his chest out importantly. At this exact moment Kagome realized she didn't even know this boy's name!

"I almost forgot!" She said, "I'm Kagome, what's your name?" She bowed politely like her mom had taught her too, and waited patiently for Inuyasha to do the same.

"I'm Inuyasha," he said, hesitantly returning her bow. He knew he was supposed too, his mother had taught him manners, but it had been years since he'd had the occasion to use them.

"Let's be friends Inuyasha!" Kagome said brightly, grinning at him. Inuyasha blinked at her again, she was beginning to get used to that face he made sometimes. "What's the matter?"

"I-I've never had a friend before," he said quietly, looking at the ground. "I don't know how." Kagome blinked at him.

"It's easy, I'll teach you!" She held her hand out to him and he looked at it, puzzled. "You're supposed to hold my hand back!" Kagome informed him.

"Oh, okay," Inuyasha replied. He took her hand and let her pull him along. They walked for a few minutes before Inuyasha asked where they were going.

"I don't know," Kagome admitted, "I was lost when I found you. My house is supposed to be around here. I live on a shrine with the Sacred Tree and the Bone-Eaters Well, but my house isn't here anymore!"

"How can a house disappear? Are you a priestess since you live on a shrine?" Inuyasha felt a little bit of fear trickle into his gut. Priestesses killed demons like him. But to his relief, Kagome shook her head.

"No, I'm just a kid silly!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha said, suddenly getting an idea, "there's a priestess that lives in a nearby town, I'll bet she knows where your shrine is!" Kagome gave him an admiring look.

"You're a genius!" She said, "Will you take me there?"

"Um, I can take you to the edge of town, but I can't go in."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a human town, and they'll try to kill me if they see me! And they might try and hurt you too if you're with me."

"Oh," Kagome said, "You can hide outside the town and I'll come and get you when they tell me how to get home! You can come with me and meet my mom!"

Inuyasha nodded, he had nowhere else to go anyway, he might as well follow this girl to a place where he might be safe. He led her to the village, following the scent of humans to it's source, and hid himself in the bushes while she walked to the priestesses house and asked her how to get home. While he was in the bushes he started smelling something he didn't like, a demon. It smelled like a centipede, but also not. Inuyasha became uneasy as the scent became closer and closer, so he decided to go warn Kagome. He could take the roofs to avoid being seen, and then take Kagome away from here so she would be safe. She was his friend after all.

"Kagome, you have to run, there's a demon coming!" He shouted as he barged into the home of the priestess.

"Inuyasha, I thought you weren't coming into town!" Kagome said, surprised.

"I wasn't but I came to get you because I can smell a demon, we have to go or it will kill us!"

"I assure you, child," said an old woman, "there aren't any demons coming. If there were I would sense it."

"I can smell it!" Inuyasha protested.

"Nonsense, it would take a powerful nose to detect a demon by its scent, and only dog demons have noses like that."

"I am a dog demon!" For the first time the old woman seemed to notice Inuyasha's dog ears, and she leapt to her feet with surprising agility for someone her age.

"Demon!" She cried, "begone!"

Inuyasha threw up his arms to protect his face as the woman threw sutras in his direction. He'd known this would probably happen, but it didn't make enduring it any more pleasant. He screamed when the woman began saying her prayers, and the sutras burned him through his clothes. He'd expected that pain, but no matter how many times people had tried to purify him, he couldn't get used to pain like this, it was like he was burning up from the inside out.

What he hadn't expected was a high pitched shriek that came from someone else. _Kagome,_ he thought vaguely. He opened his eyes to see her leap onto the old woman, grabbing at her arms, trying to pull her hands out of their prayerful position.

"STOP IT!" She cried, "He's not bad, he's my friend! Leave him alone!" The woman looked down at Kagome in shock, then released the spell she had on Inuyasha.

He sighed in relief and relaxed. He was just sitting up, having collapsed on the floor when the spell activated, when Kagome ran to his side and tore the sutra off his clothes and threw it with a disgusted look into the fire. She stood and offered him her hand, helping him to his feet.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, peering at his face worriedly. He nudded dumbly, still surprised by how kindly this girl treated him, after only knowing him for such a short time. It had only been a matter of hours, yet she had attacked a grown up to protect him. He made a vow to himself then, as she was fussing over the various small scrapes that he'd gotten when he'd fallen, the he would always do everything in his power to protect her.

"I'm sorry," the old woman said gently, crouching down next to the pair of children. Kagome stepped in between Inuyasha and the woman, not ready to trust her just yet. "I didn't realize that ye were a good demon. I thought you were here to harm this little girl."

"Didn't your mom ever tell you to look before you leap?" Kagome said, surprising both other people.

"Aye, she did child, and I simply forgot," she now turned her attention to Kagome, probably sensing that she would be the hardest to convince to trust her again. "Forgive my oversight, I promise that I won't do it again." Inuyasha peered over Kagome's shoulder at her stubborn face, still set in anger and mistrust.

"Perhaps the two of you would like some dinner?" She asked, gesturing to a pan sitting in the fire. Inuyasha's stomach twisted painfully, he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. His stomach growled loudly, and Kagome cast a glance over her shoulder at him.

"Alright," she agreed.

"Wonderful, and the two of you can tell me your stories while we eat." Inuyasha looked at Kagome, who was walking over to sit by the fire, and eagerly made to join her, but then a breeze rattled the door flap, and he remembered why he had barged in in the first place.

"Wait, there's a demon!" He exclaimed. "I can smell it, it's a centipede I think, and it's getting closer!"

"A centipede you say?" The old woman questioned, and he nodded. "We'll ride out to slay it before it can destroy the town."

"But- but what if it's good, like Inuyasha?" Those words rattled around in his brain. He wasn't used to being called 'good' either.

"I don't think it is, Kagome," the priestess said. As if right on cue, they heard a crash, and the sound of a horse screaming. The three of them ran outside, and Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha had only been half right, there was, in fact, a centipede demon, but it was only half centipede. It's top half was a lady. It was the same demon from earlier. Kagome tugged on the priestesses shoulder, "That's the demon that dragged me down the well, and I ended up here!"

"You came out of the Bone Eater's Well?" The priestess asked. Kagome nodded.

"That demon kidnapped me and dragged me down the well!" Inuyasha glared up at the demon. It had hurt Kagome, so now it was time for him to start keeping that vow he had made to himself, and start protecting her.

"Give it to me, give me the Sacred Jewel!" The demon said. The old woman rounded on Kagome.

"Bear ye it still?"

"What?" Kagome asked, confused.

"Nevermind, just run. Get somewhere safe and hide. I'll come and find you when we're done here!" Kagome blinked at the old woman, and then nodded. She grabbed Inuyasha's hand and began running in the opposite direction.

"Hey, let me go!" He cried, "I was gonna kill that demon! The old priestess is just a human, they might need my help!"

"They're grown ups, they can handle it!" Kagome said, "that old lady can do that thing she did to you to it!" They made it to the edge of town, where they stopped briefly to catch their breath.

A crash behind them let them know that had been a mistake, and the centipede woman flew out of the town right at Kagome. She bit Kagome in the stomach and threw her up into the air. Inuyasha cried out as the scent of her blood filled his nose and Kagome flew through the air. She didn't cry out, but she was probably in shock. That had happened to him a few times, when he hadn't felt the blows he'd been dealt until later.

As Kagome started to fall he acted, leaping into the air and catching her. He set her gently on the ground when he landed, then turned to stand in between Kagome and the demon. He raised up his hand and flexed his fingers. A half grin played across his lips. Now he could defeat that demon, right here in front of Kagome, and impress her.

"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" He cried, slashing out with his claws. The demon screamed in pain and rounded on him. His attack had caused some damage, but not enough. The demon still lunged at him, but he dodged. It kept coming at him, and he kept dodging every time, until he got distracted by Kagome. She wasn't even watching! She was staring at some pink glowing jewel that he had never seen before. While he watched her indignantly, the centipede woman attacked him from behind.

Her long fangs sank into his shoulder and he screamed in pain. Kagome's head snapped up, and she tucked the pink jewel in her pocket, running at the demon. She ran right up to the demon and began pounding on the demon's body with her tiny little fists.

"Leave him alone!" She cried. The centipede opened its jaws, and Inuyasha fell to the ground. The centipede woman reached for Kagome, this time using her arms, but Kagome threw out her hands to try and shield herself. "Stop it!" Her hands glowed pink and shot an aura of purity at the centipede, and she cried out in pain, her arms all falling off.

Kagome stared down at her hands and mumbled something that Inuyasha couldn't hear. He got to his feet, reaching up and gripping his shoulder. He winced slightly as his claws dug into the wounds, but he ignored that. He ripped his hand free of his wound and slashed at the demon.

"Blades of Blood!" His attack did real damage this time, and he didn't wait for her to recover before attacking again. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" He slashed and slashed until the demon couldn't fight anymore, and she collapsed to the ground, dead. He was standing, facing away from the forest, when something small and fast streaked into his vision and slammed into his chest.

"Inuyasha that was so cool! She beat the bad guy all by yourself!" Inuyasha felt himself blushing. He tried to reach up and scratch the back of his head, but winced. He had forgotten his shoulder was hurt. He turned when he heard muttering behind him, and saw the entire village standing there, ogling him. At a loss for anything else to say, he snapped at them.

"How long have you been standing there? You couldn't have been bothered to help?"

"It seemed to us like you had the situation under control," the old woman stepped forward.

"Lady Kaede?" One of the villagers said. "It's alright, this child will not harm us, he's a friend of the village."

 _Friend,_ Inuyasha thought. He'd never had a friend in his life, and now all of the sudden he'd made two in one day. He wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"You're both hurt," she said, "please, accompany me to my home and I'll dress your wounds." Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a look, Kagome nodded, pressing a hand to her bleeding side. The scent of her blood in the air made him nauseous.

They followed her through the town, Inuyasha Lending a supporting arm to Kagome when she stumbled. _She's lost a lot of blood for a human,_ he thought. _I'm fine, but she could be in serious trouble._ Once they got to Kaede's hut, he insisted that Kaede see to Kagome's wounds first. While she was being tended too, Kagome pulled the pink jewel out of her pocket and held it out to Inuyasha.

"Look," she said, "it came out of my body when that centipede bit me."

"Really?" He asked, reaching out and taking it from her, he held it up and inspected it. He could feel the power radiating from it, he knew it was an object of immense power he could tell, but what was it doing inside her body?

"May I see that?" Kaede asked. Kagome nodded, so Inuyasha handed the old woman the jewel. "I knew it," she said.

"Knew what?" Kagome asked.

"I knew that you were my sister Kikyo reincarnated."

"What's reincarnated mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"It's when the soul of someone dead is born again in the body of a baby. They usually don't have memories of their former life, so Kagome wouldn't know it."

"So you mean I was your big sister in another life?" Kagome asked innocently, peering up at Kaede. "Does that mean my baby brother is you reincarnated?"

"No, stupid, because she's not dead!" Inuyasha said. Kagome turned and glared at him.

"I am not stupid!" She said, "and I came from the future down the well!"

"What do you mean, the future?" Inuyasha asked.

"I mean, I come from a time that has more technology and buildings and cars and stuff! This has to be the past because you don't have any of that stuff!"

Kaede couldn't help but chuckle at Kagome's childlike reasoning, but she knew her to be right. She would have to be from far into the future to be Kikyo's reincarnation, and the fact that the Sacred Jewel burst from her body proved it.

"No my child," Kaede said, "it doesn't mean your younger brother is my reincarnation. But I do think ye came from the future." Kagome stuck her tongue out at Inuyasha, who humphed. Kaede threaded the jewel on a string and handed it back to Kagome. "Here, it belongs with you, but be sure to always have it with you. Never let anyone take it from you, ever. It's dangerous in the hands of bad men." Kagome nodded.

"I will!"

"Now, Inuyasha, let me dress your wounds, then we can eat supper, and get to bed. You two must be exhausted." At this Kagome yawned and nodded. "In the morning I will take you back to the Bone Eater's Well and see if there are any clues about how to get you back home. I'm sure your mother is very worried." Kagome nodded.

"Grandpa saw me being kidnapped, so he's probably been praying at the well for my return all day! He's silly like that." Kaede smiled.

"Aye, I'm sure your family will be glad to have a girl as sweet as you back." Kagome blushed at the compliment.

"Inuyasha is gonna come with me to meet my mom!" Kagome exclaimed as Kaede started to clean Inuyasha's wounds.

"Is that so?" She asked idly, smearing an ointment on the torn skin.

"Yeah! He said he doesn't have a mom, so we can share mine! I'm sure she'll like him, she likes everyone!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He wasn't sure he wanted to try and replace his mother, but he also didn't want to be alone anymore. _Maybe Mother will be alright if I just stayed with Kagome. She would want me to be happy, right?_ He couldn't deny he wanted to be able to let a grown up take care of him again. He was tired of fending for himself.

"That's very generous of you, Kagome," Kaede said, "your mother sounds like a wonderful person, but it's best not to get your hopes up. It's possible that the well will not allow Inuyasha to pass through to your time."

Kagome sat back on her heels, looking concerned. She honestly hadn't considered that Inuyasha might be unable to go to her time. Judging by the look on Inuyasha's face, he hadn't either.

"I'm sure it will! It let me come here, so it will have to let him go there! And I'll hold his hand to make extra sure he comes with me!" Inuyasha felt himself blushing. There she went again, acting so dedicated to him. She had decided that she wanted him to go to her time, and that's all there was too it for her. Inuyasha wondered how she stayed so upbeat all the time.

They ate dinner, and then went to sleep, Inuyasha and Kagome sharing a futon because they were small and Kaede only had one extra. Kagome fell asleep quickly, while he lay awake for a while thinking. Turns out, Kagome snuggled in her sleep, but Inuyasha didn't mind, Kagome was warm.

x x x

Kaede was the first to wake the next morning, and she smiled at the children in her spare cot, snuggling adorably. She relit the fire, then started on breakfast for them, letting them wake up on their own. Inuyasha woke up first, then he woke up Kagome when he saw there was food to be had. They ate cheerfully, talking about their adventures in that exaggerated, precious way children had.

"Let's go and investigate the well then," Kaede said, once both children had eaten their fill (Inuyasha had four helpings.)

Kaede got to her feet and left her hut, followed by the two children.

"So if you're really from the future," Inuyasha asked, crossing his arms like he still doubted it, "what's it like?"

"There aren't as many trees," Kagome said thoughtfully. "There's a big city with _huge_ metal buildings!" Kagome threw her arms up in the air for emphasis. "There are lot's of cars, and it's usually noisy, but I live away from all that in the shrine so it's pretty quiet there."

"What are cars?" Inuyasha asked.

"They're like big metal carriages that don't need horses to pull them!"

"Yeah, right!" Inuyasha said, "how are carriages supposed to move without horses?" Inuyasha asked.

"I don't know," Kagome said, "they just do!"

"I'll believe it when I see it!"

Kaede chuckled, she loved children, and these too were extra energetic.

"And there are no demons in my time!" Kagome exclaimed suddenly, "it's just people!"

"No way!" Inuyasha said incredulously, "where did they all go?"

"I don't know!" Kagome said, running ahead of Kaede and turning around backwards, "but you're the first demon I've ever met!"

"Lucky you," Inuyasha said, running up to her side, "because all of the demons I know are evil!"

"All of them?" Kagome asked, "do you think you're not evil because you're half human?" Inuyasha quirked his head in thought.

"I'd never thought about it like that, but most of the humans I know are evil too." Inuyasha said.

"Well now you know me, and I'm not evil!" Kagome said brightly, beaming at Inuyasha.

"Alright," Kaede said, "we're almost there now."

"How am I gonna get back home?" Kagome asked, now looking anxious. "I miss my momma."

"I'm not sure, child," Kaede admitted, "that's the purpose for visiting the well, to look for clues."

"You said you just fell in, right?" Inuyasha asked.

"No, that centipede lady dragged me in!" Kagome told him.

"Well maybe to get back all you have to do is jump back in!" He said.

"You think so?" Kagome asked, looking up at Kaede to see what she thought of this idea. The old woman shrugged.

"It's possible," she said, "but I would hesitate to start out by trying that."

They reached the clearing where the well was, and Kagome ran out ahead of them.

"Be careful, Kagome!" Kaede cried.

"I will!" She said. Kagome came to a stop against the side of the well, peering into the depths.

"So you came out of here?" Inuyasha asked, coming up beside her. Kagome nodded. "It looks perfectly ordinary to me."

"Nay child," Kaede said, "this well is anything but ordinary." Both the children looked up at her. "It's carved from wood taken from the Sacred Tree," she began, "and it's used to contain the demonic energy of the demons that we slay in the village. It's incredibly old, and it had power."

"Woah," the children said together, gazing down with wonder into the depths of the well.

"What's that down in the bottom?" Inuyasha asked, leaning further over the edge and squinting. Kagome copied him, but she couldn't see anything.

"I don't see anything!" She declared.

"Well duh," Inuyasha said, sounding superior, "I only can because demons have better sight than humans!"

"Well why don't ye tell us what ye see, Inuyasha?" Kaede suggested.

"It looks like…" Inuyasha's voice trailed away as he leaned even further over the edge of the well. Kagome, afraid he would fall in, grabbed his waist. Inuyasha ignored her, squinting into the depths. "Bones."

"Aye," the old woman said, "it's the bones of the demon that ye slayed yesterday. The village men brought it up late last night."

"If you knew, then why'd you ask?" Inuyasha asked indignantly, standing up.

"Sometimes it's best for us to find things out for ourselves," Kaede said wisely. Kagome nodded and let go of Inuyasha.

"So what are we supposed to be looking for?" Kagome asked, crouching down and poking a knot in the wood like she expected it to do a trick.

"Anything out of the ordinary." Kaede answered. Kagome nodded and set to work, diligently inspecting everything around the well, from the clumps of weeds to the dandelions.

Inuyasha, however, stood and watched the old priestess. She knelt at the edge of the well and placed her hand on the wood, making a prayerful hand gesture with the other hand. She began mumbling something, and a soft pink aura glowed around her. At this point, Kagome's attention had wandered from her search and she moseyed back up to them to stand next to Inuyasha. Both of them watched as Kaede finished whatever ritual she had started, then opened her eye.

"Interesting," she said.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"The aura here is different, it feels similar to the aura surrounding the Sacred Tree."

"Maybe because it's made from the tree," Inuyasha suggested, sounding bored.

"Nay, I think it has to do with Kagome's appearance in our world."

"So how do I get home?" Kagome asked.

"I think Inuyasha was right, child, I think you should try going back down the well."

"Alright!" Kagome said, grabbing Inuyasha's hand. "Let's try it!"

She dragged him to the edge of the well and climbed up and stood on the rim. Inuyasha did the same, and she grinned at him.

"Be careful!" Kaede said. "Inuyasha, don't let Kagome be injured!"

"I won't!" He said, suddenly fierce. Kaede nodded.

"Alright. I wish you luck!"

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged a hopeful and slightly anxious look, then leapt down the well. A strange light shone, and then the children were gone.


	2. A Secret To Tell

***A/N- Hello and welcome to the new chapter of We Were Young. Now if the characters are a little out of character, that's on purpose. The whole idea for this fic was for Kagome to meet Inuyasha and start healing him like she did in canon, but** _ **before**_ **most of the major damage is done. Naturally, Inuyasha is still a little messed up from everything he's been through, but not nearly as bad, so he'd be easier to get close to, because most kids are pretty open and trusting, right? As for Kagome, I can't picture seven year old Kagome as anything other than a little ball of energy, so that's how I write her. I'm planning on introducing Miroku and Sango later, and I'm sorry to anyone who was disappointed by my writing out of Kikyo. I wanted this to be super cute and not angsty, and I didn't know how to do that with her in the story, as sad as she was about not being able to be average. I couldn't figure out how to write her as happy and cute, and I also needed Kaede to be old anyway. I can't wait to write more of this, I love it so much.**

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"Momma, Momma!" Kagome cried, running across the lawn, dragging Inuyasha behind her. "I'm home, and I made a friend!"

Kagome heard a dish shatter in the sink through the open kitchen window, and running footsteps before her Mom flung the door open and threw herself outside. She sprinted up to her young daughter and threw her arms around her neck, sobbing into her dirty shirt.

"Kagome!" She cried, "Where have you been?"

"I got pulled down the well Momma!" Kagome said, "I went into the past and met Inuyasha! He's a demon, but he's nice, see!" Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's hand, pulling him out from behind her so her mom could see him.

"Kagome, not you too, Grandpa was saying the same thing, and- oh my." Kagome's Mom had glanced up from her daughter's face and looked at Inuyasha. "Kagome who is this?" She asked. Then, to Inuyasha "where are your parents, sweetie, do you need me to call someone? I'm sure they're wondering where you are."

"I ain't got any parents," Inuyasha said. "And what do you mean 'call?' Were you just gonna stand up here and try and shout for them?"

"No, Inuyasha," Kagome said, "she meant on a phone, it's another technology from our time, like cars. I'll show you!"

"Kagome, where did you find this boy? Where have you been?" Her mother repeated, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I told you Momma, I fell down the well and into the past! There was no city and no shrine, just a little village and a forest! There were demons too! One tried to kill me, but Inuyasha saved me!"

"Someone tried to kill you?" Her Mom exclaimed, looking alarmed. Kagome nodded her head.

"A giant half-centipede half-woman!" Kagome said, holding her arms out wide to indicate that the monster had been really big. "She bit me in my tummy and hurt me a lot, and this jewel came out of me! Kaede bandaged me all up and told me I had to keep the jewel safe from bad guys. She said since it came out of me it was my job, and no one else's!" Kagome pulled the necklace with the jewel out from under her shirt collar and tried to show her mother, but at her words about the centipede woman biting her stomach, her mother had lifted up the hem of her shirt to look at it.

"It's been bandaged alright." She murmured. "But if you went to the hospital why didn't you tell them to call me?"

"I didn't go to the hospital, Momma, Kaede fixed me right in her house!"

Momma Higurashi looked like she was about to say something, but at that moment Kagome's Grandpa had walked out of the house and said, "What's all this fuss?" He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her there. "K-kagome!" He cried, running forward as fast as his aged legs would carry him.

"I thought we had lost you forever when that demon dragged you into the well!" He cried, flinging his arms around her neck much like her mother had.

"I'm alright, Grampa," she said, "Inuyasha saved me from the demon. He's a demon too, but he's nice!"

At these words Kagome's grandpa stiffened and looked up at Inuyasha, who was still hovering, unsure of what to do.

"Demon!" He cried, producing sutras from his sleeves and flinging them at Inuyasha.

Startled, Inuyasha didn't have time to dodge. Kagome had said her family was _nice_ he hadn't thought that he'd have to dodge sutras here too. BUt, surprisingly, he didn't feel anything when they touched him. He blinked in shock, then looked at Kagome, whose face was quickly changing from an expression of horror to an amused grin. The sutras hadn't worked.

"Grandpa, I told you," she said, "Inuyasha is nice. He's my friend." Inuyasha ignored the sense of wonder that he still felt when she called him that.

"Kagome, I thought I taught you better than to make friends with a demon!" Her grandpa scolded. Kagome shrugged.

"Grandpa!" Kagome's mom interjected, like she had just gotten over some sort of shock and finally found herself able to speak again, "don't encourage this nonsense! She needs to tell us where she has really been!"

"But I really was in the past, Momma!" She said indignantly. "I can prove it too! Look, Inuyasha is a demon! See his ears? They're real! Show her, Inuyasha!" Kagome grabbed his hand and pulled him forward once more so that he stood in front of her.

"Kagome, really, that's enough," Momma Higurashi reached out and tugged on INuyasha's ears, but they didn't pull off like she'd so obviously been expecting them too. Inuyasha let out a faint cry of pain and jumped back. "Oh my," was what her mother had said. Kagome grinned. She knew she could convince her Momma that she'd been to the past.

"Momma, can Inuyasha live with us?" She asked. It seemed like the next logical thing to do to her. Now that they had established Kagome had been to the past, Inuyasha needed a home. KAgome thought that hers would do just fine for the both of them.

"W-what?" Kagome's mother asked.

"Inuyasha doesn't have a family, or a house so I thought we could share mine!" Kagome's mother blinked for a few seconds and stood.

"Here, why don't we go inside and talk. I'm sure you two must be hungry and tired." She took Kagome's hand, and the offered her other to Inuyasha. He looked at it, and for a moment Kagome thought he would actually take it, but then he scoffed.

"I don't need your help to walk, lady," he said. KAgome opened her mouth to say something angrily to him, but her mom spoke first.

"Of course not," she said, all traces of her disbelief gone. Now she was once again the warm, supportive mother figure that Kagome had known she would be for INuyasha just like she was for her. "I didn't mean to offend you. Can you forgive me?" Inuyasha inked up at her in shock.

"Uh, sure," he said.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They entered the kitchen and Kagome sat down at the table. She gestured for Inuyasha to sit next to her, and Kagome's mom took the seat opposite him.

"Inuyasha, would you mind if I asked you what you are?"

"I'm a demon!" He declared proudly.

"Only half, though," Kagome interjected, "his mom was a human like us!"

"Really?" Her grandfather asked interestedly. "What sort of demon was your father then?"

"He was a dog demon, duh!" Inuyasha said.

"Interesting!"

"And have both your parents passed away?" Kagome's mother asked gently.

"Yeah."

"And you don't have any family? No siblings or cousins?"

"I have a brother," Inuyasha admitted. "But I hate him! He made mother cry! He wouldn't even help her when she asked him too! He said that since she was human and I'm half demon he wanted nothing to do with us! He thinks he's all that just because he's a full demon!"

"I see, and you have no one on the other side, in your time?" She asked. _Wow, Mom sure decided that she believed us really fast!_ Kagome thought. Inuyasha shook his head.

"I see," Kagome's mother said, "Kagome, I need to talk to your grandfather, why don't you go show Inuyasha how the phone works like you wanted too?"

"Good idea, Mom!" Kagome exclaimed. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room, explaining rapidly how to use a phone.

"You can call people, I'll call my friend and talk to her that way you can see how it works!" She ran into the hall and picked up the phone, dialing her best friends house phone. Her mom picked up.

"Miss Higurashi" The voice on the other end cried, "Did you find Kagome?"

"Hi, it's me Miss TakanashI!" Kagome chirped can I talk to Eri?"

"Kagome!" She cried, sounding relived, "sweetie, what happened? Where were you? We were so worried!"

"It's okay! I fell through the well into the past, but now I'm back!" Inuyasha was staring incredulously at the phone.

"I thought you said there were no demons in your time Kagome," he said. That's what this thing had to be, he'd never seen anything with powers quite like it before. It had to be a demon. But Kagome shook her head.

"It's not a demon, Inuyasha, it's a phone! Miss Takanashi has one in her house and we can talk to each other through them!"

"Kagome, sweetheart, can I talk to your mom?" Kagome made a disappointed sound.

"But I wanted to talk to Eri!"

"I'm sorry, Eri isn't home right now, I'll tell her to call you when she get's home."

"Alright," Kagome said. She handed the phone to Inuyasha and ran into the kitchen to get her Mom.

"Miss Takanashi wants to talk to you Momma!" Kagome said. Her mother stopped talking to her grandpa and got up. She went to the phone and took it from Inuyasha's hand.

"Hello, yes-yes. She's fine. No we're not sure what exactly happened yet. That's what we're trying to figure out. I'll call you later, we have a lot to talk about. Thank you," she hung up the phone. "Kagome, Inuyasha, why don't you come into the living room?"

"Okay, Momma!" Kagome said. She dragged Inuyasha with her and plopped down on the couch.

"So, we've talked about it, and we need to keep the real story a secret, can you do that?" Both children nodded. "We are going to tell people Inuyasha is a family friend who will be staying with us for a while. What Really happened is our little secret, okay?"

"OKay Momma!" Kagome said.

"People in our time will have a hard time believing that Inuyasha is half demon," Grandpa said, "so we'll keep that our little secret as well."

"Why wouldn't they believe I'm half demon?" Inuyasha asked. "Why should I keep it secret?"

"Because people in our time will think you are crazy for suggesting it!" Grandpa snapped.

"Grandpa," Momma said gently. She turned to Inuyasha.

"We need to keep it secret because people in our time won't understand what you are. Demons don't come out in our time, so no one is sure if they even exist. If you start telling people that you are a demon they will think you are a liar, and they won't want to be around you," she explained gently.

"So how's it any different here than where I came from?" Inuyasha asked. "There people try to kill me for what I am, and here I can't tell people what I am." Kagome looked wide eyed at Inuyasha, and then turned to her mother to see how she would respond.

"It's different," she said, smiling maternally, "because here, I'm sure people will come to love you for _who_ you are, not hate you for _what_ you are. That's what really matters, after all." Kagome grinned. Her mother was right. Her mom was always right, she had the answers to everything! Inuyasha sat quietly for a moment, thinking out what her mother had said.

"Alright," he said. "I'll stay."

"Yay!" Kagome cheered.

"I'm glad to hear it," Her mother said.

xxxxxxxxxx

The next few days Inuyasha spent settling in, getting used to her era. Sometimes he left and went back to his time, sometimes Kagome went with him. Once Miss Higurashi had been assured by a letter given to her by Inuyasha that Kaede had written that they would be safe with her, Kagome was allowed to spend the day, and sometimes the night, with the old woman. When school started back Inuyasha was left alone for long periods of time, which he didn't like at all.

"I want to go where she's going!" Inuyasha declared one day, when Kagome was about to head out for school.

"Yeah!" Kagome said, "I want Inuyasha to come with me!" The children had formed a very tight bond over the time that Inuyasha had been staying with them. They were hardly seen apart, except for when Kagome was in school. Miss Higurashi told herself she should have seen this coming.

"Inuyasha, if you went to school with Kagome it would be much harder to keep your secret."

"How am I supposed to protect her if I'm not with her?" He said. Miss Higurashi was quiet for a minute, wondering what that was about. It wasn't the first time he'd said something along those lines. He'd made comments in passing about it being his job to protect her, but Miss Higurashi had never commented before. Now she thought she'd ask him about it.

"Inuyasha dear," she began, "Kagome will be perfectly safe at school, no one will hurt her there."

"You don't know that for sure!" He protested. "What if something happened and I'm not there?"

"What could possibly happen at an elementary school?" Grandpa interjected.

"I don't know," Inuyasha said, "that's why I need to be there!"

"Why are you so determined to protect Kagome?" Her mother asked, "you're a child as well you know, the grown ups can do it for you. You don't have to worry so much about her safety, you know."

"You grown ups are just mortals!" Inuyasha said, "you can't protect her as well as I can!" Miss Higurashi blinked down at him, looking at the determined look on his face, and realized that he wouldn't be budging on this topic. She'd seen that look enough times in the short time she'd known him to know that it meant he wouldn't give up. If she didn't give her permission, he'd just do it anyway.

"Alright," Miss Higurashi said, and the children cheered. "But, you have to stay here today. We'll need to think about how to hide your ears, and we'll have to contact the school and tell them we need to enroll another student. Can you read at all, Inuyasha?"

"Of course I can read!" Inuyasha said, "I'm a demon, not an idiot."

"Of course, my mistake."

"Inuyasha's mother was a noble!" Kagome chirped, "of course he knows how to read, Momma!" Miss Higurashi smiled goodnaturedly.

"Of course. I just needed to make sure that you could keep up with Kagome's class. Oh and Kagome, you need to go or you'll be late."

"Okay Momma!" Kagome cried. "I can't wait to tell all my friends that Inuyasha is gonna come to school!"

"Just remember to keep our secrets, sweetheart," her mother reminded.

"I will, Momma," she called over her shoulder.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next few hours Momma and Grandpa Higurashi spent discussing how they would conceal Inuyasha's ears.

"He won't be allowed to wear a hat during class," Kagome's mother said.

"We could always comb his hair to cover them," Grandpa suggested. "Goodness knows he's got enough of it."

"But will that stay in place during gym and recess?"

"We could use some of those hair pins you put in Kagome's hair sometimes."

"Won't the other boys make fun of him for wearing hair pins?"

"Who cares?" Grandpa asked.

"I don't," Inuyasha interjected. Kagome's mother looked at him.

"Are you sure?" She asked him.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied.

"Alright," she said, "we can try it."

Kagome's mother took him to the bathroom and pulled out her comb. She took a moment to look appraisingly at his hair before starting her work. She was rather skilled with hair, despite the fact that she kept her own cropped short. She tried to be gentle with it, but she ended up pulling his hair a little. He didn't seem to mind too much. What he did mind, however, was his ears laying flat against his head. He said it muffled his hearing so he felt like "some weak mortal" but Kagome's mother told him it was the only way that he could go to school with Kagome, so he tolerated it. It took about thirty minutes for her to fix and pin Inuyasha's hair into place.

"How's that feel?" Miss Higurashi asked. Inuyasha pulled a face.

"It's uncomfortable," he said. "and it muffles my hearing."

"Well," Kagome's mother said, "if you want to go to school, you're going to have to get used to it. Why don't we leave this in until Kagome gets home to see if it would last until school ends." Inuyasha grumbled. He didn't much like it, but he was also determined to start going to school with Kagome, so he put up with it.

Shortly after that Inuyasha went outside and jumped into the branches of the Sacred Tree, willing himself not to fidget with his hair. _Might as well get used to it,_ he thought, _if I'm going to have to keep it like this for ages._ He sighed and looked around. It was lonely here without Kagome. She was his only friend in the entire world, and he didn't like being away from her. He twitched irritably. Why did school have to take so long anyway? Was there really that much Kagome needed to know? Inuyasha tilted his head and listened to the cars driving by on the street below, hating the way his hearing was muffled. It felt like it was his mortal night.

At that thought, his eyes flicked to the sky. The first night was nearing. It would be his first since meeting Kagome. Inuyasha ignored the twinge of guilt he felt when he thought about how he hadn't told her about it yet. Kagome had told him friends were supposed to tell each other everything, and it seemed like she'd told him everything. She'd told him a bit about her father even, though she didn't like to talk about it. That conversation made him realize that he wasn't the only one who'd lost something.

Still, though, his mother had told him never to tell anyone about his human night, but surely she had just meant the fellow nobles of their castle. Inuyasha could trust Kagome and her mother right? After all, Kagome was his friend, and surely Miss Higurashi would never hurt him either. Gramps had tried once, but he'd thought Inuyasha was a bad demon then. He sighed again and leaned back against the tree's trunk. What should he do? He sat in the tree, brooding, for a while longer before anyone disturbed him.

"I suppose you're up in the tree, disrespecting our shrine again are you, young man?" Grandpa asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Kagome's grandpa had a habit of nagging. Inuyasha suddenly had an idea. He jumped from the tree and landed right in front of the old man. "I wish you'd stop doing that," he said, "you're going to hurt yourself." Inuyasha scoffed.

"I'm going back to my time for a while, I'll be back later." He said, then bounded off to the well without another word. There was someone he needed to talk too. There was _one_ person he could ask. _One person_ who usually sought him out around this time of month to see how he was faring.

 _Myoga,_ Inuyasha thought, jumping down the well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Within two hours Inuyasha had located Myoga, and filled him in on everything that had happened. It turns out Myoga had been closing in on the village anyway, so he hadn't taken long to find. What had taken most of the two hours was explaining everything to Myoga. It had also taken a while to get Myoga to believe the story wasn't just some imagined tale from the mind of a seven year old.

"Mom said to never tell anyone," Inuyasha said, "but I trust Kagome, and friends aren't supposed to have secrets from each other, right?"

"Not exactly, Master Inuyasha," Myoga said, crossing his two sets of arms. "While it's true friends do share more information about themselves with each other than they would with another, friends also have to respect each other's privacy and accept that there are things their friend might not want to talk about."

"So you're sayin' I shouldn't tell Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, confused.

"No, no, no Master. Here, let me try again. Friends share lots of secrets with each other, but they also need to know that some secrets can't be shared. Did that make more sense?" Inuyasha blinked at him, clearly still not understanding. Myoga sighed. This child certainly was dense.

"So what are you telling me to do, Myoga?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm trying to tell you to do what you think is right, Master!" Myoga said.

"What sorta advice is that, Myoga?" Inuyasha asked indignantly, "If I knew what was right I wouldn't be asking!"

"What I'm trying to tell you, Master, is that you must decide if you trust Kagome, and if you truly want her to know. You have a right to keep your secret if that's what you want. I'm sure Kagome would understand if you have something you'd rather keep private. You must decide what you want, Master Inuyasha, there is no wrong decision."

Inuyasha thanked Myoga and walked slowly back to the well, deep in thought. Did he want Kagome to know about his night? Did he want anyone to know? He knew for certain he wasn't comfortable with telling Grandpa, he'd poke and prod at Inuyasha all night long, but Kagome wouldn't. He pictured himself telling her, and was surprised to find that he felt a weight lifting off his chest slightly. He didn't like having this big secret. He didn't like not trusting anyone. He _wanted_ to trust Kagome with this secret, so he decided that he would. He reached up and scratched his head, then started when his fingers brushed against metal. He'd forgotten that his hair had been pinned over his ears. Myoga hadn't commented on it, and Inuyasha wondered what he had thought of it. He felt carefully, he _thought_ that his ears were still covered, but he'd have to look into a mirror to see for sure. Perhaps Myoga had thought that Inuyasha was trying to blend in with the humans, which, of course, he was.

When he got back to Kagome's time, lunch had already been served, but Kagome's mother had saved him some, just in case he came back without having eaten in the Feudal Era. They had figured out that Inuyasha's time was five hundred years before Kagome's, so now they referred to his time as "the feudal era." He ate quickly then ran upstairs to see how his hair was faring. He'd never cared how he looked, it had never mattered how he looked to the nobles anyway they all hated him, and it didn't much matter what he looked like as he ran for his life. This mattered, though. He couldn't go to school with Kagome if his ears couldn't be hidden.

He sighed in relief when he looked in the mirror, then groaned. He hadn't thought of it before, but surely the other kids would notice. He didn't have any ears! With his dog ears hidden there was a curious lack of ears on his head. He thought about not mentioning it to Miss Higurashi, if he did then she might not let him go to school, and then how would he protect Kagome?

 _I've got to do everything I can to protect her,_ he thought determinedly, _because she's my first friend and she stood up for me, so I have to make sure she stays safe, always._

Eventually he decided that the best thing to do would be to tell Kagome's mother so she could fix it. He bounded down the stairs two at a time, then burst into the living room where Miss Higurashi was sitting and watching television with Grandpa Higurashi. She blinked at him, surprised by his sudden outburst. She listened patiently to his story, then beckoned him forward. He edged closer to her, casting the television a suspicious glance. Sometime it randomly burst out so loud his ears hurt, and he wasn't very fond of it, but now it was just a picture of a woman relaying some sort of story about a crime in a monotone, so it didn't seem like he was in too much danger of random explosions of sound.

Kagome's mother reached out on either side of his neck and pulled some of his long hair forward on both sides.

"There," she said, "now it will just look like they are hidden in your hair." Inuyasha blinked, surprised at the simple solution. He'd never considered that it would be that easy. "We have your appointment with the headmaster to enroll you tomorrow," she told him. Inuyasha nodded, then smiled one of his rare grins.

"Good" he said, then he turned and left. It was almost time for Kagome now, and he always went and waited for her at the bottom of the stairs.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Kagome's mom had just finished telling the headmaster the story of how he came to them. They had used Taisho as Inuyasha's last name, because Inuyasha didn't even know if he had had one. He had never heard his father referred to anything other than Inu no Taisho, or simply "your father." He'd refused to even tell them his mother's family name, but nobody knew why. Kagome assumed it was because of how the other lords in their family had treated him, he didn't want to associate with them, even five hundred years later.

Inuyasha was staring out the window distractedly, only half listening to what the adults were saying. Kagome's class was outside playing, and he watched her and the other children run around and tap each other. They were playing tag. He'd never played before, he'd never had anyone to play with after all. He only knew what it was because he'd seen the other children in the castle playing. As he watched Kagome got tagged and she ran off after the closest child with her hands outstretched, trying to touch one of them. After a second of running Kagome tripped and fell, and Inuyasha was out of his seat in an instant and at the window, peering down into the courtyard to see if Kagome was okay. She got back up and dusted herself off, smiling and talking to the other kids, seeming alright. Inuyasha turned away from the window and faced the room again, to see the adults looking at him.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome's mom asked.

"Kagome," Inuyasha mumbled uncomfortably. He didn't like the way the headmaster was looking at him. "She fell." The headmaster blinked in surprise, then peered out the window.

"Wow, it is Kagome's class out there" he said. He turned to Inuyasha now, "were you watching them this whole time?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"They've only been out there for about fifteen minutes," he said, eyeing the older man uncomfortably.

The headmaster looked at Inuyasha with a strange expression, then looked away when Miss Higurashi spoke.

"As I told you," she said, "he's very protective of her." The headmaster nodded.

"I see what you mean," he replied. "Perhaps it would be better to separate them so they can learn interact with others." Both adults turned to him again when he growled loudly.

"Like hell," Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha, watch your language please," Kagome's mother said. "I don't think that's a good idea, headmaster," she added.

"Well, if you're sure," he said.

After that it was only a matter of testing to see his reading level and then getting him prepared for school the next day. He'd have to have pencils and a book bag and all sorts of things. By the time everything was set up, it was time for school to let out, so Kagome's mom brought her with them to the store to pick up Inuyasha's school things.

"I can't wait!" Kagome cried, dancing ahead of them, "all my friends are so excited to meet you!" Inuyasha didn't comment. He'd grown used to having one friend, but he wasn't sure he was ready for having a whole group of people like Kagome had. He had Kagome, he didn't see why he needed anyone else.

"Are you excited to make a bunch of new friends, Inuyasha?" Miss Higurashi asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I have a friend," he said, "I don't see why I need more." Kagome quirked her head at him.

"Because friends are fun, they talk and laugh and play together."

"I have you for all that stuff," he said.

"Well, yeah," Kagome said, "but there aren't many games you can play with just two people."

Inuyasha was quiet. He still didn't see the need for more than one friend, he didn't really want more. Kagome was enough. Not to mention he'd have to keep what he was secret from any new friend he made. He didn't like the sound of that. He remembered, with a pang, his conversation with Myoga, and realized that he did, in fact, want Kagome to know about his human night. He didn't want to keep it secret from his only friend.

While they walked he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I have a secret to tell you when we get home." Kagome's face lit up with delight, then she looked at him and nodded solemnly.

"Alright, I won't tell a soul." Inuyasha nodded.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When they got home Kagome bounded up the stairs to her room, dragging Inuyasha by the hand. Obviously she was very eager to hear Inuyasha's secret.

"I'm going to start dinner soon," Kagome's mother called up the stairs after them.

"Alright Momma!" Kagome replied. She jumped onto her bed and crawled into the middle, then patted the quilt in front of her. Inuyasha climbed up and sat where she indicated, now feeling his nerves twisting in his stomach. He'd never told anyone about his human night before, and now that it was time, he was feeling a little nervous. He knew that it was stupid, that Kagome would never do anything to hurt him, but his mother's warning kept ringing in his ears.

 _Never tell anyone about your special night, Inuyasha, they will use it to hurt you._

He bought himself some time to think about how he was going to tell her by reaching up and pulling the pins out of his hair one by one and raking his hair back to how it usually lay, freeing up his ears at last. He massaged them, they were a little sore from being confined all day. Kagome waited patiently, though she bounced up and down slightly in her place with excitement. Finally, when he could use his ears as an excuse no longer, he launched into an explanation that he hoped would suffice.

"Every half demon has a time where their demon powers go away," he said, very quickly, as if speaking faster would make sharing his secret any easier. "It happens once a month and it's a really big secret and they usually hide during their night because if their enemies find out what their night it is they'll use it to hurt them because they'll be really weak because they are only a mortal." To his surprise Kagome interrupted him here with a question.

"Is the time the same for all half demons, or is it different for everyone?" Inuyasha was surprised for a moment by the question. He had been expecting questions, but not questions like that. He'd thought that she'd be angry at him for not telling her before, or that she wouldn't believe him, but neither of those things happened.

"...It's different for everyone, I think," he said. "Mine's on the New Moon, when you can't see the moon at all." Kagome nodded.

"Is it that entire day, or only that night?" She asked, again surprising him.

"Just the night."

"When's the next New Moon?" Kagome asked, sliding off her bed and padding over to the window, peering up at the sky like she could see the moon, even though it was still a few hours until sunset.

"It's the day after tomorrow," Inuyasha said. "I'm going back to my time that night because I don't want your mom and Grandpa to find out."

"Why don't you want them to know?" Kagome asked.

"Because Mother told me never to tell anyone, but I told you. I don't want anyone else knowing." Kagome nodded, she didn't try to convince him to tell them. Apparently she respected his desire to keep his secret between them.

"But you can't go back to your time," she said. He blinked.

"Why not?" He asked, "you're not the boss of me!"

"I'm not saying I'm the boss off you!" Kagome snapped, "but your time is dangerous, there are lots of demons there! It's safer for you here on those nights! You can just go to bed early and hide under the blankets so they won't see you!" Inuyasha blinked again.

He hadn't considered the fact that he probably was safer in Kagome's time, but now that he thought about it, she was right. Other than the danger that Kagome's mom or grandpa found out, he was in no danger as a human in this time without demons. He considered her offer. He knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it to her.

"I'll think about it," Inuyasha said.

"Well you had better think fast," Kagome said, "because it's the day after tomorrow and you have to make up your mind!"

"I know!" Inuyasha said, but he was saved from having to respond further by Kagome's mother, who called up the stairs just then to tell them dinner is ready. Inuyasha followed Kagome down the stairs with a light heart. He'd told her and she hadn't been angry at him, they were still friends, and he had a safe place for this month's transformation. He smiled, then sat down at the kitchen table for his meal, happy to see it was his favorite. Steak.


	3. The First Day and the First Night

Inuyasha's first day at school was rough. All the other kids kept crowding around him, asking questions.

"Where are you from?"

"Why is your hair white?"

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Why is your name Inuyasha?"

"Why do you live with Kagome?"

"Where are your parents?"

"Why don't you have any parents?"

"How do you know Kagome?"

"Are you and Kagome siblings?"

On and on it went, the kids crowding around him relentlessly. The endless stream of questions and kids crowding him was driving him mad. He'd never been around this many people before, and he didn't like it one bit. All his life he'd learned to stay away from crowds. Humans might be weaker then demons, but if you got a whole bunch of them together than you were in trouble. His instincts were screaming at him the whole time to run. Bolt. Get out of there before the humans realized who exactly he was and decided to try and kill him.

He had to tell himself over and over that they wouldn't hurt him, and humans in this time didn't even believe in demons. He was safe here, and he was here to be sure that Kagome was, too, so he forced himself to put up with it. After a while, Kagome could sense him getting more and more edgy, so she shooed away the other children, telling them to leave him alone, and that he didn't like big crowds. He mentally thanked her for it, although he remained silent. He'd had enough of talking for the day.

He walked over to the corner of the classroom away from the others and sat down, followed closely by Kagome, who sat between him and the rest of the room like she felt it was her job to keep them at bay.

"You don't have to sit with me," Inuyasha said, "you can go and talk to your other friends."

"That's alright," Kagome said, "I'd rather sit with you."

Again, Inuyasha was wordlessly grateful. He felt much more comfortable with Kagome at his side. They sat in silence for the rest of the break, Kagome resting her head on Inuyasha's shoulder, and him resting his head on the wall. He heard the other children whisperin, and though his hearing was muffled by his ears being flattened against his head, he could still make out what they were saying.

"Are they a couple?" One girl whispered behind her hand to her friend.

"Looks like it, look how she's leaning on his shoulder. I bet that's why they live together."

Inuyasha felt his face flush. What were those girls talking about? He and Kagome were just friends. Who had even heard of a couple in elementary school moving in together. That was grown up stuff. They were just kids, so why were they talking about that sort of stuff anyway.

 _Humans are weird,_ he thought as the teacher walked in, and he and Kagome got to their feet and made their way to their desks. That's another thing Inuyasha didn't like, he wasn't next to, or even in front of or behind Kagome. He was as close as he had been able to be, in the seat diagonal from her to the back. Kagome had already gotten in trouble for turning around in her desk and talking to him a few times.

All in all, by the time the end of the day came, Inuyasha was glad. He was dreading school the next day as well.

"It'll get better," Kagome told him confidently, "they're just bothering you because you're new. They'll get used to you and leave you alone." Inuyasha grumbled non committally. Miss Higurashi had said he could change his mind if he wanted, but he wouldn't leave Kagome on her own. He had to protect her. He looked up from his determined stare at the ground when Kagome grabbed his hand.

"Come on," she said, "we can eat dinner in your time with Kaede!" Inuyasha offered her a half smile.

"Alright," he said, allowing himself to be dragged down the street at a run.

"I bet Kaede already has something on the fire!" Kagome said.

Within minutes the children had arrived home and were through the door, removing their shoes and running upstairs to put their things away.

"Hey mom," Kagome called, running back down the stairs, "can we eat at Kaede's today?"

Kagome's mother, who looked like she had about to start cooking, nodded. "Alright, but be back by sunset, alright?" The children nodded and ran out, talking and laughing. After they left Kagome's mother put away the bowl she had gotten out to prepare food and sighed. Her children's lives sure seemed to be complicated.

"Granny Kaede, Granny Kaede!" Kagome cried, entering the old priestesses home and taking off her shoes quickly so she could throw herself across the room and into Kaede's surprised, but pleased, arms.

"Why hello Kagome, Inuyasha," the woman said. "I wasn't expecting to see ye for a few days."

"We came over tonight because Inuyasha started school with me, but he didn't like it, so I thought we could eat in this time to make him feel better." Inuyasha, who didn't have to remove his shoes because he'd left them in Kagome's time, walked straight in and sat down in front of the fire. There was, in fact, a pot with stew cooking in it already.

"That was very thoughtful of ye," Kaede said, "I'll just add a little bit to the stew so there is enough for all of us." She got up and shuffled around, grabbing a few stray vegetables and some meat and placing them in the pot. After she finished this she sat back down and faced them. "So tell me all about your first day at Kagome's human school, Inuyasha." He was quiet a moment before responding.

"It was loud, and crowded," he said. "No one would leave me alone. Kagome said it's because I'm new."

"Aye," Kaede said, "people are often fascinated by new things. I'm sure they will begin to leave you to yourself after a few days have passed." Inuyasha nodded. Kagome had thought so as well, so he figured they were right. It's not like he would know anyway, he'd never spent any length of time with humans before. "And no one noticed ye do not have human ears?" Inuyasha shook his head.

"No, but they kept asking about why my hair was white. I told them it was because it grew that way, but I don't think they believed me."

"It doesn't matter," Kagome said, "because it will keep growing that way, even if they don't believe it!"

"You're right, Kagome," Kaede said, "what the other children think about Inuyasha's hair matters not."

Kagome told Kaede about their seating arrangement, what they did in class that day, and who had been the most interested in Inuyasha. When she finished Kaede nodded.

"I see, it sounds like you had quite the busy day, Inuyasha. You must be tired."

"Keh," he replied, although her statement had been completely true. He was _exhausted._ "I had the same day Kagome had."

"But Kagome's more used to it. Everything that happened today was new for you, and all that newness can be tiring, can't it." Inuyasha looked appraisingly up at Kaede for a moment before replying.

"Yeah," he admitted, "I guess it was."

"Well tomorrow is the last day before the weekend, so we can go tomorrow and spend the whole weekend in your time!" Kagome said.

"Do you think your mom would let us?" Inuyasha asked.

"I think she would, since you're still adjusting, you need time in your own time to relax!" Inuyasha was silent for a moment. Obviously Kagome had forgotten about what they had talked about the day before. He wished he could. The night of the New Moon hung over him like a dark cloud, as well as the question of where he should spend it.

Kagome had been right in saying that he would be safer in her time during his human nights, but he also wanted to spend the weekend in his own time like Kagome had suggested. He wanted to mention it to her, but he couldn't in front of Kaede, so he resolved to ask her on the way home. _Home,_ he thought. When exactly had he started thinking of Kagome's house as home? He certainly didn't think of her time as home.

The cars, and school, and tall metal buildings were all strange to him. He much preferred the quiet and seclusion of his own era, yet he thought of Kagome's house as home. _It only makes sense, you dolt,_ Inuyasha thought to himself, _you've been living there for almost a month now._ Kagome's house was a safe haven. In his mind, somewhere between the place where he came from and the place where he would now be spending most of his time. He didn't really think of it as a place from either era. It was the past and it wasn't the future. It was just home.

He was distracted from his thoughts on the matter when Kaede announced that the stew was ready and began serving them. He snapped back into the present and took his bowl from Kaede, thanking her. He tucked into his food wordlessly, only half listening as Kagome told Kaede a story that he'd already heard. The other half of him contemplated his options.

How much danger could he _really_ be in in his era for one more New Moon? He'd spent every first night up until now in his time, so why not this one? But as he thought about that, Kagome laughed loudly at something Kaede said, reminding Inuyasha of the vow he made that night to protect her. If something did happen, could he protect her in his human form?

"Isn't that right, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, snapping Inuyasha back to reality.

"Wha-?" He asked vaguely. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think our teacher is very nice?" Inuyasha blinked a few times.

"Yeah," he said, "I guess. I've only been to school one day." Kagome shrugged.

"I guess you're right, but I think you'll like her."

The next day Inuyasha was even more restless than he had been before during class. His half demon instincts were constantly screaming at him to run, hide, find shelter before the sun fell. Even though it was before noon, he'd always at least started looking for a good hiding place by now, if he hadn't already concealed himself.

There was good cause for this, and it wasn't just the deep rooted fear of being caught off guard. On the day leading up to the New Moon Inuyasha's demons senses dulled, not to the point of mortals, but less than what they usually were. He had wanted to stay home today, but he couldn't leave Kagome alone anymore than he could simply skip his second day of school. The result was him shifting endlessly in his seat, making small noises, twitching, and just being a general irritant. Kagome had already turned around and given him several irritated looks, and the teacher had cast her eyes in his direction on more than one occasion. Each time one of them did so he did his utmost to stop whatever noisy thing he was doing, but a few minutes later he always found himself doing another thing without meaning too.

He couldn't help it, tonight was a new moon.

When the bell rang for break Inuyasha stood with the rest of his class and was following Kagome out when he heard the teacher call out his name.

"Inuyasha, can I have a word with you?" She said. Kagome turned around and walked back to the teacher's desk with Inuyasha, not intending to leave him behind. Inuyasha was grateful, although the teacher had other things in mind.

"Kagome, I asked for Inuyasha, not you. Go outside and play with the rest of the class please." Kagome didn't respond to her teacher, instead her eyes turned to Inuyasha, her eyes asking a question that Inuyasha understood without Kagome having to speak. They had developed this ability after a few weeks of living under the same roof and being together constantly, a sort of silent language that they could speak.

 _Do you want me to stay?_ Inuyasha shrugged.

 _I don't care, go on ahead._ Kagome nodded, gesturing to the door.

 _I'll wait for you out there._ Inuyasha nodded.

 _Alright._

Out of the corner of his eye Inuyasha saw the teacher observing them curiously, but he didn't care. He watched Kagome leave wordlessly, comforted by the thought she was only outside the door, then turned to the teacher. Her words surprised him.

"You two are very close aren't you?" Inuyasha blinked, then nodded.

"Yeah." The teacher raised her eyebrows like she expected him to say something else, but Inuyasha didn't know what she wanted to hear, so he stayed silent. The teacher- Miss Yuki- sighed briefly before continuing to speak.

"And you are staying with her?" Inuyasha nodded. "I noticed you were really restless today." She commented. "Why was that?"

"I'm not used to sitting inside and not moving for a long time," Inuyasha said truthfully. With the exception of his only other experience in school and the days he spent hiding as a human, he'd never sat still for longer than an hour.

"Did your parents never make you go to school?"

"My parents are dead." The teacher winced.

"Right, I'm sorry, but no one has ever made you go to school before?"

"No."

"But I see that you scored high on your reading tests. You can obviously read,"

"Mother taught me herself, but she never made me sit still for this long." Miss Yuki nodded.

"I see," she said. "It distracts the other students when you shuffle so much, so do you think that you could try to be a little quieter from now on?" Inuyasha nodded.

"I guess."

"Alright then," Miss Yuki said, "you can go outside and play now." Inuyasha turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. He had barely completed that action before Kagome had pounced on him, grabbing his free hand and whirling him around to face her.

"What did she say?"

"She just asked me if I had ever been to school before, then asked me to move around less, then told me I could go."

"And you're not in trouble?" Kagome asked, Inuyasha shook his head.

"I'm glad! Who would I play with if you were in time out?"

"You have other friends," Inuyasha pointed out.

"Yeah," Kagome said, "but I'd rather play with you." Inuyasha felt warmth spreading through his middle again, and he smiled.

"I'd rather play with you too," he said. Kagome smiled.

"I'm glad, even though I already knew that."

After recess Inuyasha did his utmost to be more still in his seat, and it seemed to be working. He got fewer annoyed glances from Kagome and Miss Yuki anyway. It was with a heart light with relief that Inuyasha walked home hand in hand with Kagome so they didn't get separated. He had honestly planned on staying in Kagome's time tonight for the New Moon, but when Kagome brought up them crossing over into his time, he couldn't bring himself to correct her.

He was, there was no other word for it, tired. The sitting still, the silence, the not being able to get up and leap into the trees whenever he wanted all weighed heavily on him. He had never in his life not been free to do as he pleased with most if his free time, and now he felt caged. He couldn't be the demon he was around the humans, and he didn't like that at all. He was going to make himself tolerate it, though, for Kagome's sake.

"The first thing I do," Inuyasha said to Kagome, "is go for a nice long run before the sun sets and I lose my demon powers." Kagome's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered the conversation they had had about the New Moon.

"I forgot that was tonight!" Kagome said, "maybe we should wait…"

"No," Inuyasha cut her off firmly. "I want to be in the forest tonight. I want to be in my own era, I miss the trees and quiet. Kagome was quiet only for the space of a heartbeat before speaking again.

"Alright then," she said, "we should hurry so we can make it before sun down!" Inuyasha nodded, picking up his pace so he was running next to Kagome. She didn't need to drag him this time, he was as eager to get home as she was.

x x x

They thundered into the house, removing their shoes in a flash and charging up the stairs to their rooms. Kagome began shoving clothes in her bag, and Inuyasha was changing into his Robe of the Fire Rat. Kagome's mother had seemed to think it would attract too much attention to him if he were to wear it around. He felt naked, vulnerable without it, but he consented to wear clothes from Kagome's time. He didn't pack anything else, all he needed was his Robe. He tore the hair pins free from his hair and cast them aside, freeing his ears at last.

It being only a few hours before sundown this did little to improve his dulled hearing, but it felt wonderful to be able to wiggle his ears ago. He moved them back and forth several times, testing for soreness. A giggle from his doorway caught his attention.

"Your ears are so cute," Kagome said.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha said, feeling his face grow hot. He'd never liked to draw attention to his ears. They'd been a source of great ridicule among the nobles. Kagome reached out and took his hand again, and Inuyasha rushed down the stairs right after her, feeling the weight that had been laying him down lifting. He was going to spend the weekend with Kagome in his own time, life was good.

"Momma," Kagome called, "We're leaving! See you later!"

"Be careful!" Kagome's mom called, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Aren't you staying for dinner?" Kagome shook her head.

"We'll eat with Kaede!"

They dashed out the door and across the shrine. Inuyasha spared a glance at the tree where his whole adventure with Kagome started, and continued on, following the mass of black hair flowing out behind her as she ran. Inuyasha couldn't help but grin when a mirthful laugh escaped Kagome's lips as she leapt into the well, the soft light flaring up and engulfing the two of them as the portal between worlds opened.

Inuyasha helped Kagome out of the well and then grabbed her hand for the first time dragging her instead of the other way around. Kagome giggled and ran after him, occasionally stumbling on rocks and the like, but Inuyasha never let her fall. Inuyasha's eyes scanned the horizon, gauging the amount of time it would take for sun to set.

 _Excellent,_ He thought, _we've still got about three hours._

They stopped off quickly at Kaede's to drop off Kagome's bag, then scarfed down their meal so quickly, Kaede scolded them to slow down, afraid they would make themselves sick. Inuyasha and Kagome ignored her.

As soon as Kagome set down her bowl Inuyasha dragged her to her feet, shouting at Kaede that they would be back later. Kagome grinned from ear to ear. She wasn't sure why she was so excited, all she knew was that she had never seen her best friend this eager for anything, and his energy only seemed to fuel her, so that they two were feeding off each other. Once they got past the outskirts of town Inuyasha stopped. He crouched down in front of Kagome.

"Here," he said, "climb on my back. You'll never be able to keep up with me on your own, so I'll carry you." Kagome hesitated only for the briefest second before climbing onto Inuyasha's back. After silently checking that Kagome had a good grip, Inuyasha kicked off with all his might.

He didn't mind the high shriek of mixed shock and fright that ripped from Kagome's throat right in his ear. At least, not once it turned to squeals of delight. Inuyasha knew Kagome had never seen him run all out. He was incredibly fast, and the great bounding leaps he took periodically must have been exciting for someone who had never ran at his pace before.

He felt joy unlike anything he had ever experienced before tearing through him, making his heart feel light as a feather. In that moment he felt invincible, like nothing could ever hurt him.

He ran and ran, and eventually Kagome's delighted shrieks and giggles subsided as she got used to the pace, but he could still feel her weight shifting in his arms from time to time, and he knew she would be turning from side to side, taking in all the colors flashing past them as they hurtled passed objects. After what must have been close to an hour he decided to stop in an area that he knew would have something Kagome would enjoy.

"Why are we stopping?" Kagome asked, climbing off his back and glancing at the skyline. She wasn't as good with telling the time by the un as Inuyasha, but she could tell they had a long way to go until sundown.

"There's something here I think you'll like," Inuyasha said, taking Kagome's hand and tugging her along.

"What is it?" Kagome asked quizzically.

"It's a surprise," Inuyasha said. Kagome's lips parted in surprise. Inuyasha was acting very strange indeed. He'd smiled and laughed and ran, and now he had a surprise for her? She wasn't complaining though, she liked it when Inuyasha was happy. He pulled her through a clump of trees, holding her hand all the way, and she couldn't help the excited giggle that escaped from her that changed to a gasp as she saw the surprise.

It was a meadow, filled to the brim with every type of wild flower under the sun. Her face went slack with shock for a moment with all the colors and different types of flowers swaying in the gentle breeze. Inuyasha watched her face carefully, and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when her face split into a broad grin. She squealed in delight and took off at a blinding speed towards the edge of the flowers, then cast herself down onto the ground, still smiling broadly. She giggled in a high pitch, squealing childishly. Suddenly Inuyasha remembered that they _were_ children. Sometimes he forgot that they were so young, what with all the pressure that was weighing down on him.

He had to admit he'd put some of that pressure there himself, but some of it was not of his choosing. He knew he was different from the other children his age, and not just because of his blood. He'd been through so much. Not many seven year olds had to spend most of their lives running to preserve it. They didn't live in constant fear of death, they didn't understand how feeling terror that complete, that all consuming, changed a person. None of the other children understood what that was like. He grinned down at Kagome.

She was the only person his age he knew that could even begin to understand him. _That's right,_ Inuyasha thought, _she's been in a situation that she feared for her life too._ He remembered the battle with mistress centipede. Kagome had been injured. He could just barely see the scar from where the jewel she wore concealed around her neck at all times had been ripped from her body as she rolled playfully in the flowers.

There was no one else in the world who could understand him like she could, he realized. She sat up and looked at him, glowing. "It's so pretty here, Inuyasha." Inuyasha nodded.

"I found this place once when I was looking for somewhere to hide during a New Moon. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I recognized the area as we were passing and I thought you would like it."

"I do!" She exclaimed. "Come here." Inuyasha hesitated for a moment, but then walked and sat down next to her.

Kagome scooted behind Inuyasha and reached out, combing her fingers through his hair gently.

"H-hey!" Inuyasha protested, "what are you doing?"

"I've never had a friend with hair long enough for me to braid before! All my friends have short hair!"

"No way!" Inuyasha said, getting to his feet. "Not happening!"

Kagome turned a wide eyed pouting face to Inuyasha, and he faltered slightly. He'd seen this face at work before. Kagome didn't use it often, but he had seen her work wonders with her pouting face, and now he could see why.

"Come on, Inuyasha!" Kagome said, "I'll let you play with mine when I'm done!"

"W-what would I want to play with your hair for?" He asked, trying to ignore Kagome's puppy dog face.

"It's fun!" Kagome said, raising up on her hands and knees and grinning at Inuyasha.

"Yeah, for girls maybe!" Inuyasha scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome asked, firing up at once.

"It means that girls like dumb stuff!"

"Do not!"

"Do so!"

"Do not!" Kagome got to her feet and glared into Inuyasha's face. "Boy's are the ones who like dumb stuff! All they ever do is be mean and gross!"

"No way!" Inuyasha replied.

"Yes way!"

The argument continued on in this manner for several minutes before coming to a conclusion. Fifteen minutes later Inuyasha's hair was fully braided with wildflowers woven in.

He sat grumpily as Kagome played with his hair, refusing to admit, even to himself, that he was enjoying it, even a little. To be honest, the sensation of Kagome running her hands through his hair was quite pleasant. A brief pause in her hands movements got his attention, and he turned to face her.

"Are you done yet?" He asked, with as much annoyance as he could muster. Kagome nodded.

"Your hair looks so pretty!" She said.

"Well that's a problem, 'cause I don't want to be pretty!" Kagome giggled.

"Well too bad, because you are now." Inuyasha gave his head an aggravated shake, and the braid and flowers tumbled out of his hair, except for a stray few.

"Hey!" Kagome said. "I worked hard on that!"

"It's time to go," Inuyasha said abruptly, standing and extending his hand to Kagome. Kagome glanced at the horizon, it was beginning to be tinted pink. A good amount of time had passed without her realizing. "We need to get back to the village before sun down," Inuyasha reminded her. Kagome nodded and got to her feet.

Inuyasha ran with an urgency he hadn't had on the way here. Kagome noticed the way his head kept turning to glance at the setting sun, like he was worried that they wouldn't get there in time.

"Don't worry, Inuyasha," Kagome said in his ear, "we'll get back in time." Inuyasha didn't respond, only quickened his pace.

They made it back to the village just in time. As they entered the outskirts of town something strange started happening to Inuyasha. The last rays of sun disappeared behind the mountains in the distance, and Inuyasha stopped walking. Kagome took a few steps before realizing Inuyasha was no longer with her. She turned, and her jaw dropped.

Inuyasha's body was pulsing, the air around him stirring. Kagome struggled to form words as the pulsing quickened in pace, and Inuyasha's hair faded from white to black, his amber eyes darkening to a brown similar to her own. A pair of human ears were sticking out of his raven hair, and when Inuyasha scoffed, she saw that he no longer had fangs. A glance at his hands told her that his claws were gone as well.

"Y-you look like me!" The words tumbled out of her mouth without her thinking about them.

"W-what?" Inuyasha stuttered. Obviously he hadn't been expecting that reaction. "That's all you can say after what you just saw?"

"Well it's true!" Kagome snapped. "Your hair and eyes are the same color as mine!"

"So what?" Inuyasha replied, unsure of why he was feeling so defensive. Kagome's angry expression faded as she tilted her head, reaching up to place a finger on her chin. She seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

"I don't know," she said, "but you do." Inuyasha scoffed again.

"Keh. Whatever. Let's just go. But we have to be careful that no one sees me!"

"Aye- aye!" Kagome chirped, saluting him like a sailor. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, Kagome did weird things sometimes.

They walked around the backs of the homes. Careful to stay close enough to remain safe from demons, they didn't like to get too close to human villages, but far enough away so that they wouldn't be seen. Inuyasha insisted that they cut through the tree's at the edge of the village to get to Kaede's hut, just in case anyone was visiting the shrine late at night. He also refused to enter the cabin, and told Kagome not to tell Kaede about his form. Kagome tried to tell him that he could trust Kaede, but he just shook his head angrily and asked her to promise not to tell Kaede again.

"Alright, alright," Kagome said, "I won't tell, but I don't get why you don't want Momma and Kaede to know."

"Mother warned me not to tell anyone," Inuyasha reminded her. "I only told you because you're my friend."

"Yeah," Kagome said, with the air of someone about to make a definitive point, "but Kaede and Momma are your friends too." Inuyasha's heart did that annoying little thing it did sometimes. It twisted, skipping a beat, and making it hard for him to speak. Kaede and Miss Higurashi were his friends? Was it possible that it happened and he didn't know about it? Could you have friends without knowing it? According to what Kagome said just now he could, and didn't she know more about this whole friend thing than he did?

"T-they are?" Was all he managed, his voice sounding more hopeful than he would have liked. Kagome nodded with a sort of _duh_ expression on her face.

"Of course they are!" Kagome said. Inuyasha turned away hurriedly, unsure of what expression his stupid human face would be showing. He was always overflowing with human emotions on these nights, things he didn't usually have to deal with. It was annoying and inconvenient.

"Whatever," Inuyasha snapped, afraid of what he would say if he continued speaking. He didn't want Kagome to think he was going soft. He prepared to jump up onto the roof, but then he remembered that he was in his human form, and couldn't manage that jump. Instead he walked around to the back of Kaede's hut and plopped down against the wall with a huff. Kagome did the same, but without the huff.

"Why don't you trust grown ups?" Kagome asked.

"Why should I? Grown ups have done nothing but try to kill me."

"But what about the ones who don't like Mom and Kaede." Kagome looked over at Inuyasha as she said this. He tilted his head back and looked up at the stars, not answering her for so long that she thought that he had forgotten. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, he answered her.

"It's not that I don't trust them," he said, "it's that I don't trust anyone."

"Do you not trust me?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha could hear the hurt in her voice, but didn't look away from the stars.

"You're the exception. I trust you because before you ever knew me you fought to protect me, and you offered to be my friend. You had no reason to believe that I wouldn't hurt you, but you weren't afraid of me. That's why I decided to tell you about my human nights. When I think of telling anyone else about them I get uneasy, and I keep hearing mother's voice in my head. 'Never tell anyone about the New Moon, Inuyasha' she would say."

He glanced at Kagome at last, and saw her face. There was a strange look on her face that Inuyasha couldn't quite place. Her eyes were soft and empathetic looking, but her lips had a faint smile on them.

"What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm just happy that you trusted me and opened up to me." Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her.

"You're weird," he said.

"Am not!" Kagome cried.


	4. Monkey See: Monkey Do

Months passed, and Inuyasha got used to school, although he still detested it. He still stubbornly refused to leave, however. It was as Kagome had said, after all. After a length of time the other children stopped pestering him so much and began to leave him to his own business. He was allowed to sit broodingly in the corner on his own, or at least he was when Kagome didn't feel like forcing him to interact with her friends. Some days she would let him be alone, some days she would sit alone with him, and still other days she would bring her entire group over in some sort of vain attempt to induct him into her group of friends.

He had to admit her friends weren't _so_ bad. They were polite and curious, asking questions, but not to many, and doing their best to include him in conversation. It wasn't their fault he just didn't want to participate in them. He talked enough to keep Kagome happy, and no more. She seemed to realize he wasn't happy, so she didn't try to force him too much. She pushed him a little to try and encourage him, but no more than that.

Inuyasha enrolled very close to the end of the school year, and he had very specific plans of what he was going to do with his break.

"What do you mean you're staying at Granny's house the whole break?" Kagome exclaimed at dinner when she asked him what he wanted to do. She had taken to referring to Kaede in this manner a while ago, and Kaede had embraced the title.

"I mean that I've been spending all day every day in your time, and it's about time I got to live in my own for a while!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "I hate how loud it constantly is here, and I hate always having my ears pinned down!"

"What about the New Moons?" Kagome asked him quietly. They were at the dinner table, and she had to lower her voice so her parents couldn't hear. Inuyasha was quiet for a moment.

"I'll think about coming back for those, but no promises."

"I'll miss you," Kagome said sadly. Inuyasha's heart jolted in that annoying way it had. No one had ever told him that before in his life. The fact that someone cared enough about him to miss him still got to him.

"Why don't you go with him, sweetie," Kagome's mother suggested.

"What?" Kagome asked, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"I think it would be good for you to get away from the city for a while," Miss Higurashi said, "Spending time in all that fresh air should be good for you. I trust Granny Kaede to keep you safe." Kagome's lips spread into a broad grin, and she turned to face Inuyasha, who was also staring up at her mother in shock. Momma Higurashi, noticing this, added, "And Inuyasha of course. I know between the two of them you'll be perfectly safe."

Inuyasha swelled with pride at these words, and Kagome's mother smiled fondly down at him.

"Alright," he said, "it's settled then, we'll spend summer break at Kaede's in my time!"

"I want you checking in every now and then, though," her mom said, "to put my mind at rest. Can you be sure to come back once a week or so for me?" Kagome nodded vigorously. "Good, thank you."

The next few weeks passed in a flurry of excitement and anticipation as the final days of the year were spent in school, everyone talking about their summer vacations. Kagome's friends were going to places like the beach, and Kyoto, but Kagome didn't know how to explain where she was going. She fumbled a little bit when she was asked, but then Inuyasha interjected, "camping," and that settled that.

On the final day of school Kagome and Inuyasha's excitement levels were even as they raced home, using their small size and speed to dodge through the crowd. They shouted and laughed and played tag all along the way, and Inuyasha's heart was lighter than it had been in a long, long time. Kagome squealed as Inuyasha pulled off a rather impressive capture where he leapt over a tourists rolling suitcase, front flipped in the air, and landed in front of her, with his hand on her shoulder.

He darted away before she had the chance to tag him back, and Kagome shot after him, laughing loudly. Inuyasha, as a half demon, had every capability to run much, much faster than Kagome ever could, but he allowed her to catch him after several paces. The walk- or run- to Kagome's house was much too short for Inuyasha's liking. He'd been having fun and couldn't help but to feel slight disappointment when he saw the great staircase that led up to her family shrine and the great red arch that was set over them. Then he reminded himself that the next few weeks would be pure freedom, and they would be able to play as much as they wanted there.

They could even go on adventures, they weren't confined to the village, so long as Kaede permitted it. They could roam the countryside as they wished- as long as Kaede said it was okay. Inuyasha would do as he pleased whatever the old woman said, but Inuyasha knew Kagome wouldn't disobey her adopted grandmother if she said no.

They raced up the steps together, both grinning ear for ear. They stayed for supper at Kagome's house, as her mother was cooking them a 'goodbye for now' feast, including Inuyasha's favorite, steak. By the time they set out it was nearly dark, but Inuyasha didn't mind. He wasn't usually one for stargazing, but you couldn't see them in Kagome's time, not like you could in his.

He was surprised by how much he missed the little things in his time he had never thought about before, like the way the air _didn't_ reek of those monstrous contraptions these humans used to get from place to place. Kagome said there were places where it was almost like his time again. Not many people, none of those huge buildings that looked like they were scraping the sky.

He didn't entirely hate this world, though, it did have it's upsides. It's food was delicious, and it was convenient to have people so close. When Kagome and Inuyasha didn't understand their homework they could use the phone, which he now understood was _not_ a demon, to call her friends and ask for help. There was no competing with his own time, however. It was simply where he belonged.

He let out a sigh as the glowing light of the well as they enveloped him and they were transported back into his time. He helped Kagome get her enormous yellow backpack out of the well and carried it for her down to the village.

"We'll spend the night here and then head out in the morning," he was saying as they entered the outskirts of the village.

"Head out?" Kagome asked curiously, "to where?"

"Dunno?" Inuyasha said. "But I've never spent this much time in one place since Mother died, and I want to get some travelling in before school starts back."

"Do you think Kaede will be okay with us running off?" Kagome asked, looking over at him while they walked.

"I don't see why not," Inuyasha replied. "You'll be with me, and I'm plenty strong enough to protect the two of us."

"But people don't usually let children wander around on their own," Kagome pointed out.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, "But I'm a demon!"

"I don't think that she'll let us go on our own. She'll probably insist that she come with us, or that we go with someone from the village. We are still really young."

Inuyasha scoffed, though he secretly feared that she was right.

Surely he was enough protection for Kagome.

x x x

"You are both still children, perhaps it would be best if I were to accompany you on your journey," Kaede said. Inuyasha sighed heavily. Kagome had been right.

"I don't need your protection," Inuyasha said, "I'm a demon, I can take care of myself and Kagome well enough on my own." Kagome looked from Inuyasha to Kaede, she knew how this argument was going to end, she didn't see why Inuyasha bothered. Perhaps because he'd been on his own for so long he'd forgotten adults had a habit of overruling children no matter what they had to say.

"Yes, but a child is still a child, and you are still naive to the ways of the world. It matters not that you are a demon, the people of the world will seek to take advantage of two children travelling alone."

"Yeah, but I can handle them," Inuyasha said, "I can take all of 'em!"

"Aye child," Kaede said, in the tone of voice adults used when humoring children. "This is as much for their protection as your own." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but Kagome interrupted him. She knew that this argument was going nowhere fast.

"It's alright, Inuyasha, it'll be fun to have Granny around, and if we are travelling with a miko no one will try to attack you for being a demon. It makes things simpler." Inuyasha looked at her for a long time, and Kagome met his eyes defiantly. Kaede glanced between them curiously. She had experienced this strange sight before, these children just staring into each other's eyes and not speaking. It seemed to her like words were being passed between them, unspoken.

 _She's ancient, she'll only slow us down._

 _It's not like we have any place in particular we are going. She may even have miko friends we can stay with._ Inuyasha scoffed out loud.

 _Like any miko in their right mind would let me stay with them._

 _Well, at least they won't attack you if you're travelling with Kaede._ Inuyasha scoffed again.

 _Whatever, like I don't know how to hide from priestesses._

 _It will make life easier, Inuyasha. Just accept it, she won't change her mind._ Inuyasha scoffed yet again.

"Whatever," he said, outloud. Kagome smiled exasperatedly and shrugged at Kaede as Inuyasha got up and walked out.

"He'll get over it," Kagome said.

x x x

The next morning Inuyasha grumbled loudly as they set out, Kaede leading a horse carrying their supplies.

"Where too, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked. Inuyasha huffed dejectedly and walked out in front of their little group, looking around. He seemed to think for a moment, then pointed in a seemingly random direction, straight into the forest. Kagome expected Kaede to protest, suggest that they take an easier path, like a road, but she merely nodded. "So be it," She said, following Inuyasha into the forest.

Kagome was surprised, Kaede wasn't telling them what to do, and what direction taken. She had said she intended to let them rule the trip, and that she was only there for security, but Kagome hadn't expected that to be the truth. Grown ups said stuff like that all the time, but very rarely followed through on their promises. It seemed Kaede wasn't like that.

To be honest, Kagome didn't know how Inuyasha was choosing their path to take. He seemed to be following his nose, but she didn't know what scents he was looking for or avoiding. They walked for a while, rested for a while, and played for a while. All in all Kagome was having a fun time. Inuyasha stopped pouting about Kaede being with them after their first encounter with other people, who initially screamed and tried to flee, before Kaede assured them he was harmless.

 _See?_ Kagome looked at him, and he rolled his eyes at her.

 _Whatever._

It was getting close to sundown when Kaede spoke up to issue her next executive order.

"Perhaps we should stop here for the night," Kaede said, slowing to a halt. Kagome stopped too, but Inuyasha just shook his head.

"There's a village with a shrine just beyond these trees, we should be able to get there before nightfall if we hurry." Inuyasha stopped and looked over his shoulder at Kaede. "An old woman like you has no business sleeping on the cold hard ground. I'm sure the keepers of the shrine will give you and Kagome shelter for the night."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said happily. She was both surprised and happy at how thoughtful Inuyasha was being. She had never thought that Inuyasha would be leading them in the direction of somewhere Kaede could sleep comfortably.

"But what about ye, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

"I'll sleep in the forest" He said, "I like it better that way anyway. Besides, they'd never let me in a shrine."

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked him. He shrugged. "I'll sleep outside with you!" She said. He blinked, then shook his head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kagome," Inuyasha said. "It's much safer for you inside."

"So?" Kagome asked. "It'll be fun, like we're camping!"

"It could be dangerous, Kagome," Kaede said.

"It's okay," Kagome said, "Inuyasha will be with me so I'll be fine." Inuyasha swelled with pride at Kagome's faith in him.

"I still think ye should stay with me in the shrine, Kagome."

"No, I'll be fine outside with Inuyasha."

Kaede tried a few more times to convince Kagome to sleep inside with her, but Kagome was having none of that. Kaede looked like she wanted to veto Kagome's decision, but she didn't. They walked for maybe an hour more before they made it to the town, and when they reached the shrine, Kaede gave them instructions.

"Don't go too far, stay close to the shrine, other demons will not come close to it. I will inform the other priestesses that I have companions staying in the forest so they will not attack you. Stay alert, and be careful."

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha drawled, "you act like I've never been on my own before. I know how to sleep in the woods without dying or I wouldn't be here."

"I suppose ye are right, Inuyasha, but an old woman like me can't help but to worry."

"Whatever," Inuyasha said, "just get inside. We'll be fine."

"Aye," she agreed, "goodnight, Inuyasha and Kagome."

"Goodnight, Granny," Kagome said, waving and turning away to follow Inuyasha behind the shrine to set up camp.

"I'll collect the wood," Inuyasha told her, "you stay here." Kagome nodded and sat down with her back against the tree. Inuyasha was the expert in sleeping outside, after all. He returned a few minutes later and had the fire going soon after. Kagome scooted away from her tree and closer to the flames, leaning up against Inuyasha.

"Are you cold?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome shook her head.

"No, it's really warm tonight, I'm just a little tired."

"I'm not surprised," Inuyasha said, "we walked a long way today."

"Yeah," Kagome said, stretching and yawning. "I'm beat, we played a lot, too." Inuyasha nodded, he was quite a few moments before responding.

"I had a lot of fun today," he said, "I'm glad you decided to come with me."

"I like it in your time," Kagome said, "It's beautiful and quiet."

"Yeah," he said. "You're time has it's upsides, but it's really loud and crowded."

"It's safer, though. Mom calls your era the 'Warring States Era' she says that means it's when a whole bunch of lords all were fighting for dominance before Japan was united."

"I certainly have come across quite a few old battlefields while I was running from people."

"That must have been awful!" Kagome exclaimed. Inuyasha shrugged.

"They're good places to hide. There are all sorts of different conflicting smells, and it makes it harder for demons to track my scent."

"That's gross though!" Kagome said.

"It's better than getting eaten by a demon!" Inuyasha replied.

"I guess you're right," Kagome said quietly.

No one spoke for a few minutes, the two of them just sitting and staring into the fire. Inuyasha was thinking back to his times when he was on the run. It seemed so distant and so recent at the same time. It seemed hard to believe that he hadn't been with Kagome for years, and that those memories of constantly running for his life weren't a distant thing of the past, something from a different life, perhaps.

But at the same time, he remembered all too well the terror of being so close to death, of being able to feel the breath of the one you were sure would be your killer running down your neck and being certain that death had arrived for you. He could remember looking up into the terrifying faces of demons ten times his size and strength and barely being able to move for fear. He could still feel that terror, still feel their breath on his face, still feel the blood from the wounds they'd inflicted running out of his skin. He shivered involuntarily at the memories, and Kagome sat up, looking concernedly into his face.

"Are _you_ cold?" She asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"No," he said, "I was just thinking about my life before I met you."

"It must have been scary," she said, "always running like that."

"Yeah," he said quietly, "it was." He stared into the fire, not really seeing the flames.

"I'm sorry everyone was so mean to you," Kagome said. Inuyasha scoffed.

"What're you apologizing for? It wasn't your fault."

"I know," Kagome said, "but I'm still sorry."

"Whatever, weirdo."

"It's not weird!" Kagome said, "it's perfectly normal! You just don't know because you're so dense!"

"Am not!" Inuyasha snapped, climbing to his feet. Kagome did the same, glaring at him.

"Are so! You think it's so weird when I'm nice to you, but it's not! I'm just nice!"

"Are not!" Inuyasha shouted, all you ever do is yell at me!"

"Do not!" Kagome shouted, not realizing that she was contradicting herself with the volume of her voice. "I only shout when you're being mean or stupid!"

"Nice people don't call other people names like that! You're always calling me stupid and mean!"

"Because you are mean!" Kagome said.

"Am not!"

"Are so!" Both children humphed at the same time and spun on their heels, dropping down to sit facing away from each other. Inuyasha mumbled something incoherent under his breath, and Kagome felt her temper rise even higher.

"What was that?" She snapped, turning around to face Inuyasha. His eyes widened in alarm at the tone of her voice, and he felt danger sizzling through the air.

"Um, nothing, I didn't say anything," he said, without turning around.

"That's what I thought," Kagome said haughtily, turning back around. There were several minutes of tense silence where each child sat brooding.

Inuyasha, fearing that he would feel the burn of her anger even worse if he didn't diffuse the situation, spoke up.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"What?" Kagome asked.

"Are you hungry? I could catch a rabbit or something for us to eat, since Kaede took the food with her." Kagome blanched.

"I could never eat a bunny!" Kagome cried. "What's wrong with you?"

"What so bad about eating a bunny?" Inuyasha asked.

"They are cute!" Kagome cried, "and fluffy!"

"You don't eat the fur, dummy," Inuyasha said.

"I know!" Kagome cried, "but you still can't eat bunnies!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he said. "Is there something you will eat? What if I caught a bird?"

"What kind of bird? Like a chicken?"

"No, like a pigeon or something."

"I CAN'T EAT A PIGEON!" Kagome cried.

"Why the hell not?" Inuyasha asked.

"Because pigeons are gross!"

"Have you ever eaten a pigeon?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome grudgingly shook her head. "So how would you know if it tastes gross?" He realized with a start he sounded just like his mother had when he'd refused to eat something, but he pushed that thought away.

"I just know!" She said stubbornly.

"Well if you're hungry you're going to have to eat something!" Inuyasha said, "and there aren't that many options out here. It's either that, or we just go hungry until morning."

Kagome was quiet for a number of minutes in which Inuyasha thought she was going to pick starving until morning.

"Fine," she said, "but no bunnies." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Stay here, I'll be back."

Kagome huffed unhappily. She had to admit that she was hungry, but she didn't know if she would ever be hungry enough to eat a bunny. Far too soon for it to be Inuyasha returning from his quest for food, the bushes around her rustled.

"Inuyasha?" She called, even though she was fairly certain that it wouldn't be him. She couldn't shake her sense of impending doom. "Is that you?"

She let out a shriek as a demon she'd never seen before sprung out of the bushes and at her. She threw out her hands to protect her face, and something strange happened. Something strange, but not entirely surprising. The weird pink light that Kagome was able to summon on occasion when she was in danger appeared again, seeming to burn the demon. I screamed and veered away from her. For one second she thought that she was safe, but then the demon turned around and head straight back for her.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha cried, leaping from the trees to her right and dropping the dead bird he had in his hands. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" He cried. Five arcs of yellow light tore through the air and ripped the demon apart.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, running toward him and tackling him in a hug. He wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Are you hurt?" He asked. Kagome shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she said, "but how did it find me?" Inuyasha looked guiltily at the ground.

"I don't know, but I shouldn't have left you alone."

"You were going to get food, you didn't know a demon would come for me."

"I thought Kaede said demons wouldn't get this close to the shrine," Inuyasha said.

"She did say that," Kagome said. "Maybe it was attracted by our shouting?" She suggested.

"Maybe," Inuyasha said skeptically.

"Or maybe," Kagome said, "it was this." She reached into the neck of her shirt and pulled out the jewel. "Kaede did say demons came after it and it's power a lot."

"That could be it," Inuyasha said. He gazed at the pink, sparkling jewel, and couldn't deny the strange lure it had for him, like all he needed was to reach out and grab it and everything would be better. He resisted the urge. He didn't understand the draw the jewel had on him, but he didn't like it. It didn't bother him when Kagome kept it hidden, so most of the time it wasn't a problem. It only called to him when he could see it.

He turned away from it and picked up the bird he had dropped on the ground. When he had turned back around she had tucked it away once more and was looking apprehensively at the bird he had brought to her. It was a pigeon.

x

The next morning, Kagome was unsure of what if she should tell Kaede about what happened. On one hand, she felt like the old woman should know, but on the other she might not let Kagome sleep outside with Inuyasha anymore if she did. After about an hour of silent deliberation she decided to tell Kaede.

"I see," she responded, "so a demon was drawn to you last night by the power of the jewel? I should have foreseen that, after all a great number of demons were drawn into our village by it's power when it was under my sister's care."

"It's alright though," Kagome said, "Inuyasha protected me."

"Aye, it was very fortunate he arrived in time to save you." Next Kagome told Kaede about the pink light, and Kaede told her that it was something called "spiritual power," that Kagome had likely inherited from Kikyo.

x x

It was several hours before they ran into another soul on their path.

"Look," Kagome said, "it's a priest!" She pointed ahead of them at an old bald man who was closely followed by a little boy around her age with black hair pulled back into a ponytail and purple eyes.

"No, Kagome," Kaede corrected gently, "that man is a monk, not a priest."

"How can you tell?" She asked.

"See the staff he carries? It's a buddhist symbol, and the robes of a monk are quite different from those of a priest."

"Oh," Kagome said, "I see."

The old bald man chuckled good naturedly, having heard her question.

"What a beautiful young apprentice you have," he said kindly, smiling down at her. "I'm sure she's going to grow up to be a lovely priestess." Now all five of them had stopped walking in the middle of the pathway to converse. Kagome couldn't help but notice Inuyasha hanging back from the group, probably apprehensive about being around another person with spiritual powers that could hurt him.

"Aye, I'm sure she would, but she is not my apprentice, although she does already have strong spiritual powers. She is merely staying with me for the summer. She and her friend Inuyasha wanted to go on an adventure, so I accompanied them." She gestured vaguely to Inuyasha, who still stood behind her. The monk's eyes widened briefly when he saw Inuyasha, but he didn't comment. The young boy at his side however, began tugging on his sleeve, glaring at Inuyasha.

"Monk Musheen," he said, "that boy is a demon!" Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, squaring her shoulders and preparing for a fight. If this boy planned on hurting Inuyasha, he would have to go through her.

"Yes, it would seem so," Musheen said, peering down at Inuyasha. Inuyasha stiffened, also preparing for a fight.

"You got a problem with that?" Kagome said fiercely, glaring at the young boy, crossing her arms angrily.

"Um," he said, looking at her, "might I ask why you are travelling with a demon?"

"Because he's my friend!" Kagome declared, in a voice that just _dared_ him to say something.

"Musheen?" The boy asked, "if they are friends with a demon, does that make them bad?"

Kagome growled in her throat in a very good impression of Inuyasha.

"No, Miroku," Musheen said, "not all demons are the same. Just as there are evil men, there must also be good demons." Kagome and Inuyasha relaxed. She immediately liked this Musheen.

"You are very wise, Monk Musheen," Kaede complemented.

"Thank you, Lady-ah?" His face asked the question, and Kaede answered.

"Pardon me, I am Kaede, and this is Kagome, and Inuyasha." Monk Musheen bowed respectfully at them, and Kaede and Kagome returned the gesture, as did Miroku. Inuyasha was the only one who remained upright stubbornly.

"I'm sorry about Inuyasha being so rude," Kagome said to Miroku.

"Hey!" Inuyasha interjected.

"It's fine," Miroku said, seizing Kagome's hands, "but the more important issue is do you want to bear my children?" Kagome blinked repeatedly at him, then glanced over her shoulder at Inuyasha, who seemed just as dumbstruck as she did.

"Um-" she said, "what does that mean?" Kagome asked, pulling her hands gingerly from his. Miroku looked quite sheepish now.

"Um, actually, I don't know," he admitted, "but Musheen says it whenever he meets a new girl." Kagome looked up when the adults chuckled.

"It seems you have begun to teach the young man bad habits already," Kaede said. Musheen scratched his head, chuckling.

"Indeed, he picks things up by being around me. Unfortunately his father was the same way, so there really was no hope for the boy." Kaede laughed again.

"I suppose not."

Inuyasha, finally seeming to recover from his shock, shouldered his way between Kagome and Miroku, growling.

"Don't touch her," he growled. Miroku raised his hands in surrender.

"There's no need to be so hostile," MIroku said, "I didn't realize she was your girlfriend."

"She is not!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Like I would ever want a meanie like him to be my boyfriend!" Kagome said.

"You're the mean one, saying stuff like that!" Inuyasha snapped at her.

"Am not!" Miroku exchanged a look with Musheen who shrugged and chuckled.

"They're always like this," Kaede told them.

"They must be a handful," Musheen said.

"Oh they are," Kaede said, "but they liven things up." Musheen chuckled.

"I'm certain they do." The children were now ignoring the adults, having their own conversation.

"I heard the Lady Kaede say you have spiritual power," Miroku was saying to Kagome, "can you write sutras?" Kagome shook her head.

"No, but my grandpa does." She leaned in and whispered the next part behind her hands, like she wasn't supposed to be telling him this, "but I don't think they work." She giggled, and MIroku smiled. "But sometimes I can make this pink sort of light that will hurt demons if they are trying to hurt me!" She added.

"Impressive," Miroku said. Kagome grinned proudly.

"You think?" Miroku nodded. "I did it last night to the demon that attacked me in the forest!" She said.

"Why were you in the forest last night?" Miroku asked.

"Me and Inuyasha slept there!" Kagome declared. "Kaede slept in the shrine with the other priestesses but they wouldn't have let Inuyasha in, so I stayed outside with him!"

"How selfless!" Miroku exclaimed.

"It was a lot of fun!" Kagome said, "except for the part where the demon attacked me, but other than that!"

"Do you, by chance, have a place to stay tonight?" Musheen asked Kaede. She shook her head.

"Nay, we are travelling wherever the children see fit," she said, looking fondly down at them, "this is, after all, their adventure."

"Well then I suppose I should ask them this question," Musheen said. He turned to Inuyasha and Kagome, then spoke again. "Miroku and I were just on our way back to our temple, we should reach home before nightfall, what do you say to coming and staying the night with us?" One look at Inuyasha's skeptical face told him what Inuyasha thought.

"Don't worry, there are no wards to keep out demons, so you can stay inside too, Inuyasha. To be honest, Miroku doesn't get to have much company his age, and I think he would enjoy having you over." At this he glanced over at Miroku to affirm his statement. Miroku nodded eagerly, looking excited.

"I never get to play with kids my age!" He said, his voice half excitement half sadness.

"What do you say, Inuyasha?" Kagome said, spinning to face him and putting on her best puppy dog face. "Please, it'll be a lot of fun!" Inuyasha crossed his arms at her and tried to look resistant, even though he couldn't think of a valid argument.

"I don't know, Kagome," he said slowly. Kagome jumped up and down on the spot and placed her hands on his arm.

"Pretty please? I want to make friends in this era too!" Inuyasha gave up, sighing. The old woman would need a warm place to stay the night anyway, so why not go where they were invited already?

"Alright, fine," Inuyasha said.

"Yay!" Kagome and Miroku shouted together, jumping into the air in joy.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Kagome said to him.

"I can't wait to show you our temple!" Miroku replied.

The adults laughed as Kagome and Miroku raced on ahead, Inuyasha following reluctantly behind them.


	5. Enter Sango, the Demon Slayer

"And here," Miroku said grandly, throwing open a pair of doors, "is the temple." Kagome "ooh"ed appreciatively, but Inuyasha grunted unimpressed. The temple was large, with a golden buddha statue and polished wooden floors. It was simple, but beautiful.

"Wow," Kagome said, "there's nothing this nice on my family shrine!" Kagome said.

"You live on a shrine?" Miroku asked.

"I do," Kagome said, "it's been in my family for years. But there's no temple in it."

"I would love to see your family shrine one day, Kagome," Miroku said. Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged glances.

"Um," Kagome said, "I'm not sure if that will be possible, it's kind of hard to get to." That was a close as she could get to the truth, because she doubted even people in this era would believe that there was a time-travelling well on her family's shrine and that she was from five hundred years in the future.

"I'm sure I'll be able to find it," he said, "after all, it would be an honor to see where my new friend lives." Kagome exchanged another look with Inuyasha.

 _Do you think that he could pass through the well?_

 _Beats me, are you sure you want him to know about your era?_

 _I don't know yet, but I like Miroku, I think he's trustworthy._

 _I don't know about that, Kagome._

 _You just don't like him because he thought I was your girlfriend._

 _Keh, like I would ever want a jerk like you._

 _I am NOT!_

 _are SO!_

Miroku was looking increasingly more alarmed as their faces and postures grew increasingly more hostile, with seemingly no reason. He didn't understand what was happening. he, of course, couldn't hear the silent conversation, so all he saw was Kagome and Inuyasha growing angrier and angrier for apparently no reason, and decided to step in when Inuyasha started growling. He reached out to put a hand on Kagome's shoulder, thinking if he made the same gesture at Inuyasha he would lose his arm.

"AM NOT!" Kagome shrieked suddenly. "YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!"

"What?" Miroku said, "I don't understand, what's going on?"

"What's going on is Kagome is awful!"

"I don't know about that," Miroku said soothingly, "she seems perfectly nice to me."

"That's because you don't know her!" Miroku glanced over at Kagome, and saw her eyes were filled with tears, although they seemed to be tears of anger and not hurt, Miroku knew that this fight wouldn't end well for Inuyasha.

"What could Kagome possibly have done to elicit such hostility?" Miroku asked, stepping up next to Kagome. He placed a hand on her shoulder, half to try and soothe her, and half to hold her back should she decide to attack Inuyasha. At this point he wasn't sure she wouldn't.

"She's mean, and she yells at me all the time, and then accuses me of being a jerk!"

"That's because you are!" Kagome said, her voice trembling with tears or rage, it was impossible to tell. "You're always mean to me and you say mean stuff and you make fun of me and my friends!"

"Only when they are being stupid!"

"You're stupid!" Kagome yelled. With those words the tears that had been pooling in her eyes spilled over and down her cheeks. She spun around and sat down facing away from Inuyasha with her arms crossed, flames practically emanating from her. Miroku stood between the two of them, blinking bewilderedly. _What just happened?_ He thought.

The doors to the shrine swung back open and the adults entered, no doubt attracted by the screaming.

"Kagome, Inuyasha," Kaede scolded, "this is a place of worship, it's no place for your childish squabbles." Kagome swiped a hand across her cheeks and glanced up at Kaede and Monk Musheen. She sighed and got to her feet. She approached Musheen and bowed low.

"I apologize for disrespecting your temple, I should have known better. I come from a long line of priests and shrine keepers, and Grandpa taught me better." Musheen smiled down at her.

"That's quite alright, Kagome. All of us have let our temper get the better of us at some point." Kagome straightened up, then inclined her head once again.

"Thank you for your kindness, Monk Musheen," Kagome said. "If I may be excused." She didn't wait for a response, but walked gently until she got to the door of the shrine, then stomped all the way until she left the shrine.

"Inuyasha?" Kaede said expectantly.

"Uh, sorry," he said hurriedly, then followed after Kagome. Kaede shook her head, then looked down at Miroku.

"What happened?" She asked, "What were they arguing about?" Miroku shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know, they were staring at each other, and then they just started screaming." Kaede sighed.

"Yes, they do that sometimes. Those two have their own silent language, they do not need words to converse, or even argue. It's a mark of the close bond they share." Miroku was skeptical. It sure didn't _seem_ like they were close to him. It seemed like they hated each other. Kaede chuckled, seeming to read his mind.

"I know it does not seem like it, but they truly love each other." She said, "Kagome was the first person to ever extend the hand of friendship and kindness to Inuyasha, and he's sworn to protect her no matter what because of it. Kagome herself is very protective of Inuyasha, as I'm sure you've noticed. She loves with her whole heart, and Inuyasha is no exception."

"So why do they argue so much?" Miroku asked.

"It's in both of their natures. They are both hot headed and quick tempered." Miroku nodded.

"I could tell." Kaede chuckled.

"I think it would be best to leave them to themselves for now," she said. Miroku nodded, he _wasn't_ about to get in the middle of that again.

Kagome stood in the middle of the wide field that was the home to Miroku's temple. The tall grass was swaying in the wind, and Kagome's loose clothing and hair were streaming out to the side. Inuyasha approached her, being sure to make noise so that she could hear him approaching. He didn't want her to snap at him for sneaking up on her.

"Kagome?" He said gently once he was within ear shot. Kagome shifted her standing position, but made no other indication that she had heard him. "Kagome, I'm-" the word caught in his throat briefly, "sorry."

Kagome sighed, then turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry too." They stood quietly for a few moments, staring at each other, then Kagome's face split into a broad grin. Suddenly she leapt forward, her hand extended. It landed square on his shoulder.

"Tag!" She cried, then sprinted off in the other direction, squealing as Inuyasha chased her, his own face split into a smile.

"Just like that?" Miroku asked, tearing his eyes away from the running pair and looking up at Kaede.

"Just like that," she confirmed. "They may be quick to argue, but the are also quick to forgive. Sometimes."

"They are strange," Miroku said. Kaede chuckled.

"Perhaps, but it seems more to me like they are just very close."

"I don't know about that."

"Thanks for the food!" Kagome chirped, reaching down and grabbing her rice bowl. Supper had been served, and Inuyasha and Kagome had not had another spat since the episode in the temple. Kagome had dragged Miroku into their tag game, and he'd ended up with a few scrapes and cuts. While it seemed that Inuyasha had been holding back so he wouldn't harm Kagome, he afforded Miroku no such honor. He'd knocked Miroku to the ground a few times, and Kagome had wasted no time in telling him to 'be more careful or else.' Inuyasha didn't push Miroku down again.

"Thanks for the food!" The others said, then began to tuck in as well.

"So, Miroku," Kagome said, "how's your knee?"

"It's fine, thank you," Miroku said. He'd scraped it during their tag game.

"Did you have fun today, Miroku?" Musheen asked. Miroku nodded happily.

"I hope you guys will come back and see me!" He said, looking at Kagome. Kagome nodded.

"We sure will! You're a lot of fun!"

"Why don't you go with them for a while, Miroku?" Musheen asked. All the children turned their faces to him, Kagome and Miroku looking hopeful, Inuyasha looking annoyed. Obviously he'd been afraid this would happen. "Lady Kaede and myself have discussed it, and she has agreed to let you come with them if it's alright with Kagome and Inuyasha." Miroku turned to Kagome.

"Of course it's alright!" She said, "you're my friend Miroku." His face split into a grin, but he became more somber almost at once.

"What about my chores? My duties here? Who will take care of them?"

"I'll manage on my own," Musheen said. "It's important for children like you to go out and have fun. It's unhealthy for you to be cooped up here with me all the time with no break. I think this trip will be good for you." Kagome expected Miroku to start smiling again, but instead he narrowed his eyes at the older monk.

"Would you by chance be taking this opportunity to get drunk without me around to bother you?" Kagome looked between the two, surprised. It was the first time she had heard Miroku speak to Musheen with anything short of the utmost respect. Musheen blushed and scratched the back of his head.

"Of course not!" He said, and even Kagome could tell he was lying.

"I knew it!" Miroku cried, pointing angrily at Musheen. "You stinking drunkard!"

"Now, Now, Miroku," Musheen said, "do you want to go with your friends or not." Miroku looked for a moment like he was deep in thought, probably weighing his options. Slowly, he lowered his pointing finger, although his eyes remained narrowed suspiciously.

"Yes," he said slowly. "But I had better not come back to find you passed out on the floor and the temple a wreck, or I'll be mad!" Musheen chuckled.

"Do not worry, Miroku," Musheen said. "I'll take good care of the temple while you are away."

"I'm not sure I believe you," Miroku said, in the same suspicious voice, "but whatever. I'll go, and if the temple is a wreck when I get back I'll deal with it then." Miroku returned to his meal.

Kagome expected Inuyasha to interject, but he didn't. He seemed to have found some strange form of respect for Miroku when he spoke in that disrespectful manner to Musheen. At least that's what Kagome thought his facial expression said, and she was usually pretty good at reading his facial expressions. _Boys are weird,_ she thought.

x x x

The next morning they rose a little later in the day than they were used to, Kagome citing that it was summer break and she needed to take advantage of her option to sleep in while she had it. They spent a little time packing before they left. Miroku, who'd never been away from Musheen for more than a few days, was looking a little nervous.

"Don't worry, Miroku," the monk said. "I've written out some sutras for you, here." Miroku took the bundle of papers that musheen offered him. "And I have something else for you, a gift." He reached out and pulled out a smaller version of the staff that he carried from behind a door.

"Musheen!" Miroku said, reaching out and taking the staff.

"I don't want you going around defenseless, and you can channel your spiritual power through it and fight." Miroku grinned.

"Thank you!" He said, bowing respectfully. Musheen smiled.

"You're welcome, son," he said, ruffling Miroku's hair. "Take care of yourself, and have fun."

"I will!" Miroku said, "you don't have to worry about me!" Musheen smiled again.

"I know. I have faith that you will be able to take care of yourself." With that, they set off.

"Which way are we going now, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. It seemed that Inuyasha had become the official group navigator. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Is there anything interesting around here, then, Miroku?" Inuyasha looked a little unhappy about her asking Miroku, but he didn't comment. "You grew up around here, right?" Miroku nodded.

"There aren't very many interesting things around here, but there is a beautiful waterfall just through those woods." He pointed. "It's probably no more than an hours walk." Kagome turned back to Inuyasha.

"What do you think?" She asked, "any demons in the area?" Inuyasha lifted his nose into the air smugly, as if he were trying to show up Miroku. He took a few experimental sniffs, then shrugged.

"A few smaller demons, nothing that could give us any trouble. We should be fine." Kagome grinned.

"Alright then," she said, "to the waterfall it is!"

They had been walking for a mere half hour when everyone in the group stiffened, except Kagome, who remained unaware.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly, "get behind me."

"What?" Kagome asked.

"I thought you said there were no demons in the area," Miroku said quietly, readying his staff.

"There weren't, this one must have sensed the jewel and come after it."

"The Jewel?" Miroku asked.

"The Shikon No Tama," Kagome said, finally grasping the gravity of the situation, "it's in my protection." Miroku glanced at her, his mouth hanging open.

"What's a kid doing with the Shikon No Tama?" Miroku asked, "Musheen told me about it, it's incredibly powerful."

"It's a long story, I'll explain it later," she said, glancing around the forest and at the worried faces of her friends.

They all seemed to be able to sense the demon, and she wondered how they could. Once the danger had passed Kagome would ask about it, maybe she could learn how to do it too. Then she wouldn't be taken by surprise like she had been in the forest the night before last. A rustling in the trees to her right caught everyone's attention, and they all snapped to attention. Kaede drew her bow back, preparing to shoot down whatever came their way. Inuyasha was baring his claws menacingly, and Miroku had his staff held out in front of him parallel to the ground.

 _I want to learn to fight,_ Kagome thought, _I don't want to have to hide behind Inuyasha for the rest of my life._

With a scream of "Give me the Sacred Jewel!" A demon with a body like a snake and a terrifying face with huge teeth leapt out at them. Before Inuyasha and Miroku had time to do anything, however, an arrow shot through the air, engulfed in an aura of pink, and disintegrated the demon on contact.

 _That pink light looks just like the one I can make sometimes. I'll learn to do that._ She determined.

"Should we keep going to the waterfall, or head out of these woods?" Kagome asked. The other three looked around as if they expected even more demons to jump out at them, all at once.

"It would seem that the danger has passed," Kaede said, "so if you want we can still go." Kagome looked at Inuyasha and Miroku, who both shrugged.

"I ain't afraid of no demon anyway," Inuyasha said.

"Alright then, I guess we'll keep going. I want to see it, I've never seen one in person!"

"Really?" Inuyasha asked sardonically.

"You've been to where I live, Inuyasha," Kagome said, careful not to say anything to indicate she didn't live in the same time as him in front of Miroku. "Did _you_ see any waterfalls?"

"Well, no," he admitted.

"Alright then," Kagome replied.

"Where do you live, Kagome?" Miroku asked curiously as they started walking again.

"I," she said slowly. She had to choose her words carefully because she still wasn't sure if she was going to tell Miroku the truth. "Live in a big city. There isn't a forest for a while, and there aren't any waterfalls."

"Where in the city is your family shrine located?"

"It's not exactly in the main part of town, but it's not on the outskirts necessarily either."

"I see," Miroku said.

They walked on for a while, talking about everything and nothing at all. It turns out that Miroku had also lost a parent, much like Kagome and Inuyasha, although Kagome was the only one who still had at least one living parent. Monk Musheen had been a family friend and taken in Miroku when his father died during a demon extermination. Kagome told Miroku about her friends back home, and Inuyasha told Miroku that they were all a little weird. Kagome rolled her eyes at him. She might have shouted, but she didn't particularly feel like arguing just then, so she let it slide.

The next half hour passed uneventfully, no demon attacks, and they didn't even run into another human.

"People don't often come this way," Miroku said, "the path is easier a little further to the east, so they go that way, leaving this part of the forest mostly untouched."

"Do you come here often?" Kagome asked. Mirok had taken the lead a while ago and was taking them through what he claimed was the easiest path to the waterfall.

"Only when I need to think, or if I get tired of the stench of sake that emanated from Musheen."

"Does he drink often?" Kagome asked curiously.

"It depends on what sort of week we are having. If he's been requested to slay a demon he won't drink, he says it looks bad on the temple if the caretaker goes places drunk, but if we aren't going to see anyone he does."

"Does he get violent when he's drunk?" Kagome asked gingerly. She'd known a few kids who'd had to move because their parents drank a lot and hit them.

"Not really, he's mostly the same," Miroku said absently, holding out a hand to help her over the stream they were crossing. "Sometimes he'll fall asleep. When he does that I like to draw on his face." Miroku flashed her a mischievous smile, and Kagome grinned back, silently glad.

"What do you draw?" Kagome asked.

"Depends on what mood I'm in," Miroku told her. "Sometimes I make him look like a cat, and sometimes I make him look like a panda, or a demon." Kagome giggled.

"Grandpa likes to sleep a lot, but he'd get super mad if I ever drew on his face," Kagome told him. Miroku chuckled.

"We don't have a mirror," he said, "so sometimes Musheen's face will look like that for days before he washes his face off and realizes that I drew on him." Even Inuyasha and Kaede laughed at the idea of Musheen walking around for days with kitty whiskers painted on his face.

They broke through the trees at the edge of the clearing and gasped when they saw it, even Inuyasha looked impressed, although he didn't make a sound. The waterfall truly was beautiful, just as Miroku had said, but he had, in fact, undersold it. It had to be fifty feet high, and was parted in numerous places by rocks jutting out from the cliff face. The water crashed down onto a number of worn rocks before flowing out into a peaceful pool, draining off to the side into a creek that flowed away into the trees. The light shining through the mist of water spraying into the air created a rainbow. Kagome oohed loudly, clapping her hands.

"It looks like something out of a Fairy Tale!" She said. She ran out into the clearing and knelt next to knoe of the patches of wildflowers that dotted the area. She frowned at them as if in deep thought, then plucked one, then another, then another. She ran back up to the group, first approaching Kaede. "This one is for you!" She said, handing Kaede the flower.

"Thank ye," Kaede said, taking the flower and smiling at Kagome. Next Kagome ran up to Miroku.

"One for you too!" She said.

"I would be honored to wear it," he said sagely, tucking the flower behind his ear seriously, ignoring Inuyasha's snicker. Finally, Kagome approached Inuyasha.

"I got one for you too, Inuyasha!"

"Keh, what do I want a dumb old flower for?" He asked. Kagome's face fell, and Miroku and Kaede looked on apprehensively. They knew this would end badly.

"Because it's a present from me," Kagome replied, sounding more sad than upset. Miroku wasn't sure what would be worse, Kagome crying or Kagome yelling again. He sincerely hoped neither would happen.

"So? It's a dumb present." Kagome's bottom lip started trembling.

"But I picked this one out special for you."

 _Indeed,_ Miroku thought noticing that Inuyasha's flower was different than his own and Kaede's.

"You shouldn't have bothered, I don't want it," He said. Miroku had no idea why Inuyasha was being so rude, it was obviously important to Kagome that he take it, for whatever reason.

"Inuyasha," Miroku said, trying to sound reasonable, "why don't you take it? Kagome picked it out just for you because you're friends! See, yours is different than Kaede's and my own because you are special to Kagome." Inuyasha looked skeptically between Miroku, Kagome, and Kaede, then sighed.

"Alright, alright, fine," he said, taking the flower from Kagome and tucking it into his robe. Kagome smiled at him, although the gesture lacked some of it's usual brilliance. All the same, Miroku was glad another sticky situation had been averted.

After that the children decided to play in the shallows of the pool while Kaede sat on a rock off to the side, watching. Kagome taught the boys how to play Marco Polo and other water games, and at the end of a few hours, they were all thoroughly soaked. Kagome splashed out of the pool and made her way to Kaede.

"My toes are all wrinkly," She said, plopping down and lifting the offending appendages to her face.

"Aye," Kaede said idly, watching Inuyasha and Miroku, who were now sitting and talking at the edge of the pool. "That can sometimes happen when ye spend a long time in the water."

"Mom say's when your fingers and toes wrinkle it's time to get out of the bath!"

"Does she?" Kaede asked. Kagome nodded. There were a few seconds of silence before Kagome spoke next.

"Kaede, will you teach me to shoot a bow and arrow like you do?" Kaede was surprised by the question. As hot tempered as Kagome was, Kaede never imagined that she would want to learn to use a weapon.

"Why do ye wish to learn, if ye don't mind my asking?"

"I don't want to have to hide behind Inuyasha all the time," Kagome answered, "he's always protecting me, so I want to be able to protect him too."

"That's a noble reason, Kagome," Kaede said, "but it takes years to fully master a bow and arrow, and even longer to master the art of combining your arrows with spiritual power. Are ye sure ye are ready for that sort of commitment?"

"I'm sure," Kagome said. "I can make that pink light sometimes already, so I think I should learn to shoot it with arrows."

"If that's what ye truly want to do, then I will teach ye. Perhaps we will stop in the next village and see if they have a bow for someone your size."

"Yay!" Kagome exclaimed, causing both boys to turn around and look at her.

"What's up, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"Do you know where the nearest village with a market is?" Kagome asked them. They exchanged a glance.

x x x

"Look, there's the village!" Kagome exclaimed, pointing at a few columns of smoke rising from the trees. Inuyasha squinted out over the trees thoughtfully.

"Looks like we can make it just as before dark if we hurry," Inuyasha said.

"Well then, let's hurry!" Kagome exclaimed, skipping off ahead of the group.

"Hey, Kagome!" Inuyasha called. "Wait up!" He chased after her, which started up a game of tag. Miroku decided to stay behind and keep Kaede company while those two played.

"Where do you think we'll be staying the night?" Miroku asked. "Do you have money for an inn? If there's a temple I'm sure they would house you, me, and Kagome, but what about Inuyasha?"

"Even if there is a temple willing to shelter us, Kagome will not stay there if they do not permit Inuyasha too stay. She will sleep outside with him."

"Why? It's not like one night apart will kill them."

"Aye, but Kagome knows something you do not, Miroku." She paused, and for a moment Miroku considered asking what it was, but he ended up not having to. "Inuyasha has spent most of his life alone, after his mother died he had no one. Half demons are despised by both their demon and human peers, and he was constantly on the run. Kagome was the first friend Inuyasha ever had, and I believe she is trying to make up for his previous life by making sure he is never alone again." Miroku was quiet for a moment, watching the two children in question racing on ahead of them. Miroku could hear Kagome's squeals from where he was.

"That's very kind of her," Miroku said at last.

"Aye," Kaede agreed. "Kagome has a good heart, she will always help those that are within her power to help. In the short time I've known her she has become quite popular in the village."

"Are you and Kagome related?" Miroku said, "you look sort of like her." Kaede chuckled.

"No, we are not related. The resemblance you are seeing is probably because Kagome is the reincarnation of my older sister, and looks nearly exactly like her."

"Is she really?" Miroku asked. "How can you tell?"

"I always had my suspicions, but the thing that convinced me was the fact that the Sacred Jewel was inside of Kagome."

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked.

"Shortly after her arrival at our village Kagome was attacked by a demon, it tore open her flesh, and the Jewel came out. The jewel was burned with my sisters body so that she would take it with her to the other world. In no other way could Kagome come to have the jewel within her than if she was the reincarnation of my sister."

"That's amazing!" Miroku said.

"I suppose it is."

"So where are we staying tonight, Kaede?" Kagome asked, looking up at the old woman. The market had already closed for the night by the time they got there, but Kaede promised that they would go back in the morning to look for her a bow, so Kagome didn't mind. She opened her mouth to answer, but a commotion to the left distracted all of them.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked, standing on his tiptoes to try and see over the crowd to what was happening. It was, of course, useless, as Inuyasha came up to about waist high on most of the grown ups in the crowd.

"Let's go find out," Kagome said, grabbing Inuyasha's and Miroku's hands and pulling them into the crowd. She couldn't hear Kaede telling them to wait and to be careful over the crowd, or she probably would have waited for the old miko.

When they reached the front of the crowd they saw what everyone was watching indeed. There was a group of people in armor all standing, watching as a girl who couldn't have been much older than Kagome wearing a pink and black suit stood in the center of a crowd, facing off against a rat demon.

"Oh no!" Kagome said, "why aren't those grown ups helping her?"

"Those people are demon slayers," Miroku mumbled, "that girl is likely in training and they are trying to give her experience fighting a demon one on one."

"Well could they have managed to pick out a wimpier demon?" Inuyasha said, not bothering to keep his voice down. Kagome saw the girl in pink stiffen like she had heard him, and half turn her head towards them.

"Shh! Inuyasha! Don't be rude!"

"What?" Inuyasha asked. "I'm just saying!"

"Would you just shut up?" Kagome demanded, "she can hear you! You'll distract her and she'll get hurt and it'll be your fault! And I won't stop her friends if they want to beat you up for making her get hurt!" Miroku snorted. Inuyasha was about to retort when the demon lunged for the little girl. She lifted the enormous boomerang she'd been carrying and threw it at the demon.

"Hiraikotsu!" She cried. The 'Hiraikotsu' as the girl called it tore through the demon and into the air behind it, then, as boomerangs do, it spun around in the air and barreled back towards her. Kagome was half afraid that it would hit her too, but the girl simply reached out her hand and grabbed the fabric handle as it came at her. The Hiraikotsu spun around her twice before coming to rest against her back.

The crowd applauded appreciatively, and Kagome heard the other demon slayers complementing her as well.

"Very nice," they said. "She'll grow up to be one of the best." The girl in pink and black armor spun on the spot and glared at Inuyasha. Half of her face was concealed by a strange mask, but Kagome could see the anger fading into shock in her eyes when she laid eyes on Kagome. One of the men from the group broke off and approached the girl.

"Well done, my daughter," he said. Sango sank back down into a battle pose, still staring at Inuyasha. She didn't seem to notice Kagome and Miroku, or their mutinous glares, daring her to do something.

"Look, Father," she said, pointing at Inuyasha with her free hand. "Another demon. Allow me to slay this one as well."

At her words Miroku and Kagome, who were on either side of Inuyasha, moved as one, stepping in front of him and blocking him from view.

"You just try it," Kagome growled, in a voice very reminiscent of Inuyasha's own growl.

"If you want to hurt Inuyasha you have to go through me," Miroku said. He leveled his staff in front of him and widened his stance the way he had when he'd been facing the demon. Kagome crossed her arms and glanced around. The crowd had shifted, now they were all looking either at the young girl and her father, where the rest of the demon slayers had approached to see what the problem was, or Kagome and her group.

"Huh?" The young girl said, her voice distorted by the mask she was wearing. She straightened slightly and pointed at Miroku and Kagome, "but you two are human, and you're obviously a young monk in training, so why are you protecting a demon?"

"Because he's our friend," they said together. Inuyasha tried to shoulder his way between the two so he could look at the girl, but they both pushed him back.

"Stay behind us, Inuyasha, these people are demon slayers," Miroku said.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you this time," Kagome added.

"Excuse me, excuse me," Kaede's voice broke the tense silence that had descended upon the group. "What's going on? Kagome? Inuyasha? Miroku?"

"We're here Lady Kaede!" Miroku called, without taking his eyes off the demon slayers. "These demon slayers are threatening Inuyasha!" Kaede pushed through the crowd at last so she was standing next to her wards. The sight of her only seemed to confuse the child slayer even more.

"But you're a priestess!"

"Indeed child," Kaede said kindly. "No what seems to be the problem?"

"He's- he's a demon!" The girl said.

"Pardon me," the girl's father said, speaking up at last, "but can I ask you if you know that demon?"

"Yes, I do." Kaede confirmed. The crowd around them began to murmur, but Kaede continued, her voice clear and carrying over the muttering of the crowd. "He is in my custody and under my protection."

"May I ask why you are protecting a demon?" Miroku interrupted here before Kaede could speak.

"Because he's not a bad demon." The man raised his eyebrows. "Just as there are evil humans, there must also be good demons. Inuyasha is one of them." Kagome was unable to conceal her smile. She'd heard Musheen speak those words only yesterday. Miroku really had taken them to heart.

"I suppose you're right," the man said, surprising Kagome. He laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder, "isn't that right, Sango?" Sango started, then looked up at him. "I think if we didn't say we agreed to that, we'd be hypocrites, wouldn't you agree, Kirara?" At the mention of her name a cat with two tails leapt onto his head from somewhere out of sight and mewed. Sango stood up completely straight now, looking awkward.

"Right," Sango said.


	6. Challenge Accepted

"Are you tellin' me you were gonna attack me, and you got a pet demon yourself you good for nothin' demon slayer?" Inuyasha said suddenly, startling Kagome. All eyes snapped to Inuyasha, and Kagome stepped to the side to allow Sango to speak directly to Inuyasha.

"So what if I was?" She said, her voice haughty.

"People like you are the reason I hate humans! You're all hypocritical idiots who don't know when to lay down your weapons!"

"Now, now, Inuyasha," Kaede said, "all humans are not alike. I'm sure this girl meant no offense."

"Oh, I meant offense alright!" The girl snapped, "I meant to show him who's boss! I heard him talking so big like he think's he's better than me!"

"Now Sango, you know better than to pick fights because of your wounded pride," he father scolded, but Sango ignored him. She was listening to what Inuyasha was saying instead.

"That's because I am better than you! I could have taken that rat demon on with both hands tied behind my back!"

"There's no way you could have! I've been training to be a demon slayer since I could walk!"

"And you still suck at it, how pathetic!"

"How dare you!" Sango cried, crouching down and leaning forward, swinging her arm around her head all in one motion which brought her weapon swinging around her body. The crowd around them flinched, and Inuyasha leapt in front of Kagome. Sango's father jumped into action, reaching forward and grabbing the boomerang before Sango could let go of it.

"Sango!" Her father said angrily, "what's gotten into you? Attacking unarmed and defenseless bystanders! You should be ashamed." Sango looked like she might be feeling guilty for a split second before Inuyasha opened his mouth again.

"Oh, I assure you I am neither unarmed, nor defenseless," Inuyasha began, flexing his fingers to show off his claws. "My claws are all the weapons I'll need to defeat your daughter." Kagome slapped her forehead with her hand.

 _Inuyasha's going to get into a fight with this girl, and if he hurts her he'll probably have to fight all of the demon slayers too._ She sighed heavily.

"Inuyasha, calm down," she tried half heartedly. She knew he wasn't going to back down. Inuyasha ignored her, as expected.

"Oh really?" The young demon slayer challenged.

"Yes really," the young demon replied.

"Alright, if you're so tough, I challenge you!"

"Challenge accepted."

x x x

Five minutes later they were standing outside of town where there was less property to damage. Kagome had armed herself with a child sized bow on the way to the battleground, and she felt much better for having it, despite not knowing how to use it.

The civilians all gathered at the edge of the village, standing at a safe distance. The demons slayers stood behind Sango and Kagome and the others were behind Inuyasha, also standing at a safe distance.

"Be careful you don't hurt her, Inuyasha!" Kagome called. This seemed to upset Sango.

"As if that fool could hurt me!" She yelled at Kagome.

"Umm...Sorry?" Kagome replied.

"Don't worry Kagome," Inuyasha replied obnoxiously, "I won't hurt her, I'll just show her who's boss." Kagome slapped her forehead again.

 _Don't make her even angrier you idiot!_ She thought.

"Standard dueling rules apply!" Sango's father called. "You will fight until one of you surrenders or is unable to continue, begin!"

Kagome had never seen an official duel like this, and was fairly certain Inuyasha hadn't either. She sincerely hoped there were no other rules he might break, because if he lost by default things would get ugly.

Sango moved as soon as her father called for the fight to start. She heaved her weapon around herself and threw it at Inuyasha. Kagome bit her lip in apprehension, even though she knew what would happen. Inuyasha jumped over the weapon easily. He flew through the air at Sango, and was within striking distance in seconds.

"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer," he cried.

"Be careful, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, "You'll hurt her!" However, Sango proved to be quite agile as well. She dodged Inuyasha's attack easily, which is when Kagome realized that his attack didn't have their usual force.

 _He's going easy on her,_ Kagome thought, feeling something like pride swelling up in her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Now would you quit naggin'?" Kagome humphed and crossed her arms, not speaking. Inuyasha landed, and immediately the Hiraikotsu came at him again, having returned to Sango as she dodged Inuyasha's attack. Instead of dodging, Inuyasha knocked the weapon away. The other demon slayers gasped and Kagome heard Sango say, "Oh no!"

"Ha!" Inuyasha exclaimed, "You're defenseless without your weapon!"

"Hardly!" Sango replied. She drew the katana at her waist, and Inuyasha let out a bark of laughter.

"Like that can hurt me!" He said, not even bothering to move as Sango ran at him. She swung her sword back to strike, and he still didn't move.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome cried as the blade slashed downward. It connected with his shoulder, and blood sprayed into the air. Inuyasha's face was a mask of shock.

"Not so cocky now, are we?" Sango said. Her words seemed to bring Inuyasha back to his senses, and he punched Sango so hard in the stomach Kagome heard the impact from where she was. Sango was sent flying through the air and tumbling across the ground until she rolled to a stop next to her weapon.

"What the hell kind of sword is that?" He asked, his voice halfway between anger and shock. His hand rested on his bleeding shoulder, but he didn't seem to be in much pain. Kagome stared in horror at the blood running down his fingers and dripping onto the ground next to his feet.

"It's enchanted," Sango said proudly, "so it can break through even the toughest demon skin!" Kagome blinked. Was Sango's sword really enchanted? Inuyasha gaped at her, then his wounded shoulder. He looked back and Sango, and Kagome was shocked when Inuyasha smirked. He withdrew his bloodstained hand from his shoulder, grinning ever wider.

"Blades of Blood!" Inuyasha cried, swiping his bloody hand through the air. Blood Red Blades flew from the air at Sango. Kagome's eyes shot to Sango, whose face looked terrified. She rolled over and grabbed her weapon, then held it flat side out and crouched behind it. The hard material of the Hiraikotsu managed to block the blades, but Kagome wasn't sure how many of those attacks it could take.

Sango could have used her weapon again now that it was back in her possession, but now that she had seen Inuyasha's long range attack she seemed reluctant to part with it. Inuyasha picked up on her hesitation.

"What's the matter, Sango? Afraid to let go of your boomerang because you're scared I'll hurt you?"

"Shut up!" Sango exclaimed, hurling the Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha, who smiled victoriously. He leapt at Sango, who was now defenseless, she had dropped her sword when Inuyasha sent her flying. At the last second Inuyasha swept Sango's feet out from under her and she hit the ground with a thud. Inuyasha leaned down and placed a hand on her throat, but Kagome could tell from where she stood he put no pressure on it, he only did it to make a point.

"I win," he said.

"Hardly!" Sango cried. She reached into a pocket and grabbed a green ball and smashed it between the ground and her fist. "Poison Powder!" Inuyasha leapt back from Sango as the area was immediately engulfed in a thick green smoke. Inuyasha covered his face with his sleeve and Sango flipped back onto her feet. "It's easy to overwhelm the senses of a dog eared mongrel like you!" Sango declared.

In a movement so sudden that it surprised Kagome, Inuyasha leapt forward and knocked Sango's poison shielding mask off her face. Sango immediately slapped a hand over her nose and mouth, looking stricken. Kagome tasted metal, and realized she'd been biting her lip so hard that she'd drawn blood.

Inuyasha grabbed Sango's arm and leapt into the air, pulling both of them out of the cloud of dust. He landed several yards outside it, close to the blood stain from earlier. Sango seized her her sword off the ground from where it had fallen when Inuyasha had punched her and plunged it into Inuyasha's arm. Kagome screamed, but Inuyasha didn't so much as flinch.

"You idiot!" He cried, seizing the sword by the blade and tearing it from his arm, ripping it out of Sango's hand and throwing it across the field. "Haven't you had enough yet? I haven't even gotten started and you already look like you're going to drop dead."

It was true, Sango looked exhausted, and Inuyasha hadn't even broken a sweat. While it was true his kimono was covered in blood, he hadn't seemed to be affected by the wounds at all.

"I landed two clean hits!" Sango said. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and slapped Sango hard in the face.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said indignantly. That had just been uncalled for.

"There," he said, "no so have I. We're even. Can we just call it a draw, I'm gettin' tired of your crap!" Sango blinked up at him in shock, a hand resting lightly on her red cheek. Kagome smiled. She knew Inuyasha could easily take Sango if he wanted, but he was willing to call it a draw in order to preserve her pride. While his methods might be a brutish, Inuyasha's heart was good. Sango gritted her teeth and choked out two words that looked like they cost her a lot of effort.

"Very well," she said. Inuyasha pulled Sango gently to her feet and released her arm. In the next second he was nearly knocked to the ground by Kagome, who had started sprinting at him the second Sango had agreed to end the match.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried again. Inuyasha nearly overbalanced, and for a moment he was afraid that they'd both tumble to the ground, but he managed to straighten himself up and set Kagome on the ground.

"What the hell, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"Are you alright?" Kagome asked worriedly. "You got hurt twice! Let me see!" She reached for the neck of his shirt, but he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Don't bother," Inuyasha said, "I'm fine!"

"No you're not!" Kagome insisted, "I saw her hit you twice!"

"You should let her tend to your wounds," Sango said, all of her hostility seeming to have vanished. "I gave you a pretty serious injury to your shoulder."

"Don't need her too," Inuyasha said, trying to turn away, but Kagome grabbed his arm. He winced in pain, and Kagome 'ha'd in triumph.

"See, you do need treatment!"

"Do not!" Inuyasha said, "I've gotten much worse than this before and gone without treatment."

"That was then and this is now!" Kagome retorted. Inuyasha blinked at her, taken by surprise. She glared up at him, her being a few inches shorter than him, and Inuyasha felt his resistance leaving him. He'd never had anyone care enough to get mad at him for not taking care of himself before, and the fact that Kagome did made him feel very strange. All warm and fuzzy.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Fine."

Kagome gasped when he slid his shirt off his shoulder so she could see the wound. He looked down at it himself, but wasn't surprised when he saw that it was no longer bleeding. In fact, it looked like it was a few days old.

"How could it have closed so fast?" Kagome asked.

"I'm a demon," Inuyasha said, "so my body is different than yours. Flesh wounds like this one barely affect me at all."

"We had best clean it anyway, I think, Inuyasha," Kaede said, approaching the children. Sango's father and the other demon slayers approached from the other side as Kaede reached into her sleeve and pulled out some bandages and a washcloth.

"Would one of you fetch this old woman some water?" Kaede asked, looking up at the men.

"I'll do it!" Sango piped up, getting to her feet. "It's my fault anyway, so I'll go." Sango looked up at her father, who gave her an approving nod.

"I'll go with you!" Kagome said.

"I'll stay here with Inuyasha," Miroku said, looking over at the white haired boy sitting on the ground, looking irritated. Kagome knew that he was afraid Inuyasha would snap at the adult demon slayers and get him and Kaede in trouble.

"I don't need a babysitter!" Inuyasha protested, but Kagome and Inuyasha ignored him.

"Do you know where the well is?" Kagome asked Sango as they walked away.

"Yeah, I saw it on the way in," Sango said. She paused for a moment before speaking again. "You know you don't have to come with me, you can stay with your friend."

"That's alright," Kagome said, "I wanted to talk to you without Inuyasha around."

"Really?" Sango asked, "why?"

"Well, first I wanted to apologize for Inuyasha. I know he can be rude and abrasive, but once you get to know him he's not that bad."

"I should apologize as well," Sango said. "I shouldn't have let him get to me."

"Don't worry about it," Kagome said. "Honestly he was probably hoping that you'd react like that."

"Why?" Kagome shrugged.

"Don't know, he's just like that." Kagome couldn't help but notice several of the villagers staring at them as they walked past. Some of them even whispered behind their hands as they passed.

"Is it just me, or is everyone staring at us?" Sango muttered to Kagome.

"I noticed too," Kagome whispered back, "maybe because we're together and you were just fighting my friend?"

"Maybe," Sango said, "but I don't like it, let's hurry." Kagome nodded her agreement and the girls quickened their pace.

"You were really cool, though," Kagome commented.

"What do you mean?"

"When you were fighting Inuyasha and that demon from earlier! You were really amazing." A slight blush crept up Sango's face.

"Thank you," she said, glancing over at Kagome. "Where did that bow and arrow come from? I didn't notice it earlier."

"Oh, Kaede bought it for me on the way to your fight, I told her I wanted to learn to shoot a bow and arrow like her."

"Why a bow and arrow, if you don't mind my asking."

"Granny Kaede said you can combine your arrows with spiritual power to kill demons, which makes it perfect for me!" Kagome declared proudly.

"So you have spiritual power then?" Sango stopped walking, they had reached the well. Sango put the provided bucket into the mouth and began to lower it as Kagome replied.

"I think so," Kagome said. "Kaede told me I did. She say's it's the pink light that I can make sometimes when I'm in danger that kills demons."

"That's really cool!" Sango said, and Kagome blushed slightly. "Are you going to be a priestess like your Granny when you grow up?" Kagome thought for a moment. She had never considered it before.

"I don't know," Kagome said honestly, "I've never thought about it. Grandpa would say I should, but Mom would probably want me to get a job back home."

"Don't they have priestesses where you're from?" Sango asked, heaving the now full bucket out of the well.

"Do you need help with that?" Kagome asked, but Sango shook her head. "There aren't really any priestesses where I'm from, no."

"So why would your grandpa tell you to become one?"

"He's sort of a priest," Kagome told her. Sango gave her a perplexed look, and Kagome elaborated. "I don't think he has any spiritual powers. He attacked Inuyasha once with a sutra and it didn't do anything."

"How strange," Sango said. Kagome nodded.

"Grandpa is a little weird," Kagome said.

"Is he here with you? I didn't see an old man with you and your grandmother."

"Oh, Kaede isn't really my grandmother, I just call her that. I'm staying with her for the summer and me, Inuyasha, and now Miroku are adventuring together!"

"Really? Where are you going?" Kagome shrugged.

"We don't know, we're just going whatever direction we feel like taking that day."

"How do you decide what direction to take?" Sango asked. The girls were now walking quickly back through town, followed by stares and whispers.

"Well the first day Inuyasha took us through the forest to a nearby village with a shrine that way Kaede didn't have to sleep outside."

"That was very thoughtful of him," Sango said. Kagome nodded.

"The next day we were walking down the road and met Miroku and his guardian, Monk Musheen. Musheen invited us to stay the night, and told Miroku he should come with us because he doesn't get to meet many people his age and Monk Musheen thought it would be good for him to get out."

"So then you just go wherever?" Kagome nodded. Sango's face lit up, and she looked at Kagome. "So then would you want to come back to my village with me?" Kagome looked at Sango, then grinned as well.

"Sure, if Kaede and your father say it's alright!"

"Will Inuyasha mind?" Sango asked. Kagome thought for a minute, then shrugged.

"Probably, but he'll get over it. I want to see your village! Is everyone there a demon slayer?" Sango nodded.

"Not everyone goes out on jobs, but everyone has demon slayer training and a weapon that they are proficient with."

"How many people use giant boomerangs like you?"

"Not many," Sango said. "One or two of the elders used them when they were young, and a few other people are trained with the Hiraikotsu, but it's not a very popular weapon because it's difficult to master."

"That's amazing!" Kagome said.

"Thank you," Sango said.

They had arrived back at the group of demon slayers and Kagome's travelling companions. Sango set the bucket down next to Kaede and bowed her head respectfully.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," she said.

"Don't worry about it, child," Kaede said, "Inuyasha is at much as fault as ye are."

"What did I do?" Inuyasha exclaimed, "she's the one who challenged me!"

"And ye accepted it, Inuyasha! Challenges are a two way street. You could have decided to deny the girls challenge, thus, your injuries are as much your fault as hers." Kagome chuckled as Inuyasha spluttered indignantly at Kaede.

"Father," Sango said, catching Kagome's attention. "Can Kagome and her friends accompany us back to our village?" Kagome turned to look at Sango and her father, who was looking surprised.

"I'm sure they have somewhere they need to be, Sango," he replied. Sango shook her head.

"Kagome said they're going on an adventure and just going wherever they want! They have no destination in mind!"

"I don't think they want to come with us, Sango," He replied, gesturing at Inuyasha's mutinous face. Inuyasha wasn't looking at Sango and her father, however, he was looking at Kagome.

"What the hell, Kagome?" Inuyasha said, "what are you tryin' to pull, asking to go back with Sango?"

"I like Sango!" Kagome said, "she's nice! And it would be good to have another girl around, because between you and Miroku I'm tired of only being able to talk to boys!" Inuyasha spluttered indignantly, but the adults all chuckled good naturedly.

"Well I'm not going!" He declared. "Like I would want to travel with a bunch of demon slayers!"

"We wouldn't harm you!" Sango promised, "you would be perfectly safe."

"Keh, like I'm worried about being safe," Inuyasha said. "I just thought it would be inconvenient if I had to kill all of you for attacking me in my sleep." Sango's jaw twitched irritatedly, but she didn't snap at him like she had earlier.

"Like I said, we won't hurt you," she gritted out. "Even if you are a jerk."

"Am not!" Inuyasha barked.

"Are so!" Kagome and Sango replied together. Inuyasha humphed and looked down at Kaede's hand, which was mopping the blood off his arm and chest.

"Please, Inuyasha?" Kagome said, "Sango is really cool and fun! Let's go with her!" Inuyasha scoffed and looked away from Kagome, determined to hold his ground this time. However, Kagome walked over and knelt next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on," she prodded, "It'll be fun!"

It was here in his resistance that Inuyasha made a fatal error. He looked at Kagome. As soon as he looked into her pleading brown eyes, he had lost. He tried to deny it, and he tried futilely to shake his head, but instead of shaking, his head nodded itself, and Kagome cheered.

"Alright!" She said. She turned to Sango to see her looking hopefully up at her father.

"Please?" She said. Her father sighed.

"Alright," he said, and the girls cheered again, "but you know the rules, the exact location of the village is a secret, so your friends must promise not to give us away." Sango looked at Miroku and Kagome.

"I won't tell anyone!" Kagome said, and Miroku agreed. "And I'll be sure Inuyasha doesn't tell anyone, either!"

"Alright," Sango's father said. "I suppose we should head out."


	7. Judge of Character

***A/N- Alright, sorry I took so long to update, I sort of lost track of time, and then decided to take a while off from writing for my mental sanity. (As per request of my cousin who was apparently very concerned for me.) And I'll try to get more of this written. I'll go ahead and tell you I don't plan for this to be very long, just long enough to tell the story of a few of the kid's mis adventures, and then I'll do a few chapters of them as they get older, I'll finish it when they get to be around 18, same as the manga, I think. I'm not going to make it a long drawn out affair, because this story is about being cute and fluffy, and for me as an author, I'd have to make some sort of conflict to extend it, and that's not what I want for this story. I don't know how many chapters are left exactly, but I know pretty much what I want to do, I just don't know how many chapters it's going to take.**

 **Some of you mave have noticed the adorable new cover, which is some beautiful fanart done by grapefruitwannabe, who goes by that URL on this site and on Tumblr. Thank you so much!**

 **Also, I'm making Inuyasha grow up like a regular human, even though I figure he really ages slower, because he's a demon, but it wouldn't be much fun if Kagome was seventeen and he was still 6. (Okay so it would, but that's an AU for another time.)**

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"So how old are you guys anyway?" Sango asked as they walked. They were walking ahead of the group of adults, made up of several demon slayers and one old priestess, who was riding on a horse that had been provided by Sango's father.

"I'm six!" Kagome told her.

"I'm six," Inuyasha said.

"I'm eight," Miroku said, "what about you, Sango?"

"I'm seven!" She said.

"So you're our age!" Kagome said. "Are there many other children in your village?"

"There are some," Sango said, "but not many."

"Do you ever get lonely?" Kagome asked.

"Sometimes, I guess," Sango admitted. "What about you, Kagome? Do you ever get lonely?" Kagome glanced over her shoulder at the half demon next to her, then the monk-in-training on Sango's other side, and shook her head.

"No, I never get lonely. I have Inuyasha and Miroku and Kaede to keep me company."

"Are you all really close?" Sango asked, looking between all of them. Inuyasha had averted his gaze and was looking away from Kagome. This intrigued Sango, but Kagome was used to it.

"Is he all right?" Sango asked, peering around Kagome to look at him.

"He's fine," Kagome assured her, "he does this sometimes when I say nice things about him."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Is he always this mean?"

"Only sometimes," Kagome told her. "He's not used to having friends."

"Would you stop talking about me like I'm not even here?" Inuyasha barked.

"Sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome said airily, skipping ahead on the path to stop at a clump of wild flowers.

Knowing what she was doing, Inuyasha groaned. Sango looked curiously at him, wondering what was bothering him now.

"Inuyasha don't be such a jerk, Kagome does it because she cares about you!" Miroku said.

"What are you guys talking about?" Sango asked, looking now at Miroku. Instead of answering, he pointed at Kagome as she skipped back to them, holding flowers.

"Momma says it's rude to point, Miroku," Kagome said, handing him a flower. He smiled, thanked her, then dutifully tucked the flower behind his ear. Next Kagome approached Inuyasha, who scoffed, and turned away.

Sango watched as Kagome jammed the flower into his face and stared at him. They held silent eye contact for several seconds, and Sango watched as Inuyasha's face slowly changed, but Kagome's remained set in her same stubborn expression. Sango saw Inuyasha's face change from resistance to acceptance, until he finally reached out and took the flower from Kagome's hand. He growled loudly and jammed the flower roughly into his hair in front of one of his furry ears.

What was more surprising than the fresh development of the person Sango had previously thought of as the _least_ likely person to ever wear a flower in their hair now doing just that, Kagome approached Sango, and held out a pink flower. Hers was the only pink flower in the whole bunch.

"Here," she said, "it matches your demon slayer outfit!" Kagome said. She reached out and tucked the flower behind Sango's ear. Kagome took a step back and admired her work, then held out the second flower, this one purple. "Now you do me," she said.

Sango blinked, still surprised by Kagome's sheer friendliness, then took the flower, and tucked it into Kagome's hair. Kagome flashed Sango a brilliant grin, and took her hand.

"Sango, do you want to be best friends?" Before Sango replied, Inuyasha interjected.

"I'm your best friend!" He protested.

"I can have more than one best friend, Inuyasha!"

"Why do you need more?" Kagome sighed, then rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. You're the only best friend I need, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha made an approving sort of sound, then shot Sango a look that seemed to say, _ha!_

"Sisters, then," Kagome said. "We can be sisters. Is that alright with you, Inuyasha? Do you want to be my sister?" The last part of her sentence was highly sarcastic, which had Sango raising her eyebrows.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"Alright. Do you want to be sisters? Do you already have a sister?" Sango stared at Kagome, her jaw going slack for a moment, until she reminded herself she needed to answer Kagome.

"Uh, no, I don't already have a sister," Sango stammered.

"So, do you want one?"

"I-um, yeah." Sango managed. As the information processed, Her face split into a broad grin. "Yes, yes I would love to have a sister!"

Kagome grinned somehow, even brighter, and took Sango's hands.

"I'm glad! I've always wanted a sister, but I do have a brother."

"Me too!" Sango said. "His name is Kohaku, and he's still really young."

"So is my younger brother! His name is Sota!"

"Really? We have so much in common!"

"Then it was destiney!" Kagome said, "we were meant to be sisters!"

"Destiney," Sango agreed.

"What's the hold up, girls?" Sango's father asked.

"Some dumb girly shit," Inuyasha drawled.

"Inuyasha," Kaede scolded. "Ye had better wash your mouth or I'll wash it out with soap!" Inuyasha scoffed, as if to say he didn't believe her, but he also stopped talking, so Sango assumed he must have at least believed her a little, or at least he didn't want to test her.

"Is that so?" Sango's father asked kindly, and Inuyasha nodded. Sango's father chuckled, and smiled at Inuyasha, now so different than he had been when he'd been standing threateningly behind his daughter.

"Do you think I'm lying?" Inuyasha challenged. _Always on the defensive,_ Kagome thought.

"No, in fact, I'm sure you're right," he said, and Inuyasha looked momentarily surprised. He recovered quickly, however.

"Well of course I'm right," Inuyasha said. Sango's father chuckled and stepped around Inuyasha, reaching down and patting him on the head. Kagome thought she saw a slight pink hue to Inuyasha's face before he turned away and scoffed.

Kagome turned her face away to hide her smile. She knew that since he'd been living with her he'd gotten used to little gestures of affection from her family, but it still must feel strange coming from humans from his own time, especially demon slayers. She was glad that Sango's father was being nice to him, she knew Inuyasha was a good person, and he deserved for people to be nice to him. Kagome walked up to him and took his hand, smiling brightly at him. Inuyasha returned her smile with a rather shy one of his own.

"Hey, Miroku," Sango whispered behind her hand, "are Kagome and Inuyasha boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"I don't think so," Miroku said, "I'm not sure Inuyasha would know what that means." Sango nodded, looking over at the pair, and smiled.

It was a few days walk to Sango's village, and Kagome was starting to worry that they wouldn't make it to Sango's village before she had to turn around and go back home to check in with her mother. Just as these thoughts started to become more prominent in her mind, the top of the fence around her village started to peek out over the trees.

"What's that?" Kagome asked, pointing at the sharpened tips of entire trees piercing the sky.

"It's home," Sango said, running to catch up with her father, who had moved through the group until he walked at the front, his demon slayer comrades flanking him on either side. Sango took her place at her father's side, leaving the visitors to walk behind them.

"Why are they walking that way, Kaede?" Kagome whispered, tugging on the old Miko's sleeve.

"Sango's father is likely the village headman, and he's preparing to be received by the people."

"He's the headman?" Kagome asked, and Kaede nodded.

"I think so, do you see how the other demons slayers, even though some of them appear to be older, look to him for guidance?" Kagome looked ahead and noticed for the first time that no one was walking level with Sango's father except for Sango herself, who was talking merrily to him as if there wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on. _For Sango, there isn't,_ Kagome supposed. _This is what things are always like for her._

Not for the first time, Kagome wondered what it would be like to grow up in this era. Everything seemed smaller, except for the forests. They were much bigger. The villages were smaller, the houses were smaller, but the people didn't seem to be unhappy. Quite on the contrary, Kagome had seen more smiling faces than she could remember seeing in a long time. _I wonder why that is?_ Kagome thought, _I wonder why people seem happier here?_ She took a deep breath, noting that the air was cleaner, and that it smelled better.

 _That must be it,_ she decided, _these people are happy because they don't have to breathe yucky air._

At last they finally broke through the trees, and Kagome stared up at the spears that stabbed forebodingly into the sky.

"Why is the fence so tall?" Kagome asked.

"To keep the demons out, duh!" Inuyasha said. "This is a village of demon slayers, they'd have to be completely brain dead to not have a fence like this to keep the demons out!"

"You don't have to be so, rude, Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded.

"I ain't bein' rude!" He protested, "I'm just tellin' it like it is!"

"But you said it in a mean way!" Kagome said.

"Well what was I supposed to say?"

"Something nice!" Kagome said.

"Nice is overrated," Inuyasha declared. Kagome decided against responding as shouts sounded from the top of the fence, and Kagome made out the words, "The headman has returned, open the gate!"

By the time they made it to the gate, it was already opened enough for all of them to walk in unhindered. Some of the villagers had crowded around the gate to welcome their kin back home. She felt Inuyasha stiffen next to her, and for the first time noticed some of the villagers weren't smiling, but looking at Inuyasha with suspicion. Kagome grabbed his hand protectively and pressed closer to him, trying to shield him from view. Kagome didn't know what they were saying, but had no doubt Inuyasha could hear every word. Kagome also knew that there would be hurtful words and slurs spoken, but she couldn't do anything about that. She was just a kid after all. What she could do, though, is make sure Inuyasha knew that she would always be there for him.

"Welcome home headman, fellow slayers," a man said, stepping forward and bowing to the group. "We are relieved that you have made it home safely. I trust that your trip was fruitful?"

"Indeed, Kazuto," Sango's father said.

"I see that you have brought back company," the man continued, his eyes flitting from Kaede, then Miroku, and Kagome, until they finally came to rest on Inuyasha. His gaze flicked back up to the face of the headman, and he bowed his head again.

"Indeed, Sango made some friends while we were gone and invited them back home with us for a stay."

"How charming," the man said, "where will they be staying?"

"In the cabin nearest to my own, I think, it wouldn't do to make Sango walk all the way across the village just to see her friends, would it?"

"No, sir," the man said, "shall I take them to their quarters while you change out of your armor?"

"Yes, thank you, Kazuto." He took a few steps and then stopped, turning back around to face the crowd as if he'd forgotten to say something. "Oh, and, the demon in our company has my full trust and accepted, and I expect all of you to treat him civilly and friendly, just like you would Kirara." With that he spun on his heels and headed off, Sango close behind him. She glanced over her shoulder at them and waved.

"I'll see you soon!"

"See you soon!" Kagome replied.

Kagome turned back to the man who had been assigned to take them to where they would be staying and smiled.

"Hello, I'm Kagome!" She chirped, and the man smiled down at her.

"Hi, my name is Kazuto. You seemed to have really made an impression on our Sango, she's never brought home friends before."

"We're sisters!" Kagome said, "we decided!"

"Oh did you?" The man replied, grinning, "how wonderful." He turned now to Kaede, "please, follow me, I will lead you to your quarters."

"Thank you," Kaede said, reaching down and urging an unwilling Inuyasha to step forward. "Make haste, Inuyasha, this old woman needs rest after such a long journey."

Reluctantly, Inuyasha followed Kagome, his eyes flitting from side to side anxiously, watching the people on either side of the road, searching for signs of hostility. He'd been around enough humans to be uneasy venturing so deep into villages. He'd allowed himself to be dragged into that last one because it was just normal humans, and Kagome had insisted, but this was different. He was now in a village made up entirely of people who had been training their entire lives to killing demons like him. The fact that he was half human would probably mean nothing to them. It might even make things worse, he didn't know.

He'd heard some of the people at the gate whispering the word; _hanyo._ He loathed that word, always spoken with malice and disgust. It followed him wherever he went, and although it was less pronounced here than in other places, he still heard it. He reached out and took Kagome's hand again. He'd dropped it when she'd run forward to greet the man who was currently leading them through the city streets. When she felt his hand slip into hers she stopped mid sentence to turn her head and smile brightly at him. That was what he liked about her the most, she always made him a priority.

"You know we are going to have to go back and see Mom soon, right?" Kagome asked, and Inuyasha nodded.

"We'll probably only be able to stay one or two nights to get back before she starts to worry," he said. Kagome nodded.

"Yeah, I wish we could stay longer, but I also want to tell mom all about the stuff we've done! I want to tell her all about Sango and Miroku! Do you think they'll be able to get through the well, too?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha said, "maybe."

"Mom's never tried to get through, even though I've asked her too a couple of times, she says she doesn't want to take Sota through the well and she doesn't want to leave him."

"That makes sense, moms rarely want to leave their pups."

"But Sota isn't a pup," Kagome reminded him, "he's a human."

"Same thing," Inuyasha said, shrugging.

The crowd only thickened as they approached what Inuyasha could tell was the center of the village. He squeezed Kagome's hand tighter so he didn't lose her in the crowd and kept his ears trained behind him, keeping track of Miroku and Kaede by listening to their voices. He wanted to make sure none of them were separated from the group. He still didn't trust the demon slayers.

After a too-long-for-Inuyasha's-taste walk they arrived at a large house that clearly belonged to the headman. As soon as Inuyasha figured as much, the man told them so.

"And that hut behind it there is where you will be staying," he finished, bowing to them then turning around and leaving.

"He seemed eager to be rid of us," Miroku commented, walking up to stand next to Inuyasha.

"Yeah, no wonder. A demon slayer not wanting to hang around with a half demon, who would have guessed."

"But Sango's dad told them to be nice and that you were a good demon, so why would he want to go away so fast?" Kagome asked.

"It's not so easy for some people to let go of the prejudices that they've been holding on to all their lives, Kagome," Kaede said. "it will take a while yet until some of these people learn to accept Inuyasha for who he is. Some may never get past their old feelings of hate and fear." Inuyasha scoffed, but Kagome nodded understandingly.

"Oh, okay. We'll just have to show them that you're nice, then! Then they'll have to believe it!" Kagome said. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Weren't you listening just now, Kagome? The old woman just said that it wouldn't be that easy!"

"Yeah," Kagome started, looking earnestly at him, "but I'm sure once they find out how nice you are they'll like you like me!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Who are you callin' nice, Kagome? Aren't you the one that's calling me a jerk all the time?"

"Only when you're acting like one!" Kagome said.

"You're the real jerk here! You're always picking on me!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Children, children," Kaede chided, "calm yourselves. It's best not to make a scene on our first day in the village."

The children both grudgingly quieted down, and the group made their way to the hut they were to be staying in.

"These are rather spacious quarters for guests," Miroku commented, looking around as they entered.

"Kaede, is it normal for guests in villages like this one to be given such a nice place to stay?"

"Nay child," Kaede said, "it isn't typical. Quarters such as this are usually reserved for guests of honor."

"So why would he tell us to stay here after we just met?" Kagome asked, gazing up at Kaede. Kaede looked fondly down at the little girl she had quickly come to think of as a grandchild, and she saw the unrelenting faith that Kagome had in her. She could tell this child trusted her opinion more than anything, and clearly thought that she had all the answers. Kaede could remember when she was Kagome's age she had looked at her older sister with that same look in her eyes.

"There are several reasons he could be doing it," Kaede said, "it could be that he's trying to enforce the point he made when he first arrived that we were to be treated hospitably by awarding us a place of honor."

"Or it could be that he actually doesn't trust a demon to live in his village and want's to keep me close in case I decide to start attacking his people." Kagome turned a concerned face to Inuyasha, but addressed Kaede.

"Really? Could Inuyasha be right, Granny?"

Kaede paused for a moment. She had, in fact, considered that possibility, but hadn't wanted to mention it to Kagome; who had such a sweet and innocent view of the world that Kaede was hesitant to tell her such harsh truths.

"Aye, child," she said eventually, "it is possible that is the reason." Kagome's face fell.

"Oh," she said quietly, looking at the floor. She was quiet for a long moment before speaking again, "but it could be like he said and he wants us close so Sango can come play whenever she wants, right?"

"Aye, child," Kaede said, "it is possible." Kagome's face regained its excited expression.

"I'm sure that's it!" Kagome said cheerfully. "Sango's dad was nice!"

"Indeed he was," Kaede agreed, not wanting to tell her that sometimes people only pretended to be nice. She didn't need to know that, not at such a young age.

x x x x

About an hour later there was a knock at the door, and Sango entered without waiting for a reply.

"Hello!" She said, smiling at the residents of the hut, who had been sitting around discussing when, exactly, they were going to go back and check in with Kagome's mother.

"Hi!" Kagome chirped, getting to her feet and walking over to Sango. When she reached her she extended her arms and wrapped them around Sango in a hug, which Sango returned happily. She'd never had a sister before, and she was excited to get to know what it was like.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting," Sango said, looking at the other three occupants of the room, who were sitting in a circle around the fire and who had clearly been in conversation.

"Oh no, it's not like we were having an important discussion or anything," Inuyasha said sarcastically. Kagome shot him a glare that very clearly said _shut up_ even to those in the room who weren't privy to Kagome and Inuyasha's private line of communication.

"It's fine," Kagome assured Sango, taking her hand and leading her over to the fire to sit down. "We were just talking about when we are going to head back home. Mom asked me to check back in once a week or so, and it's been almost that long since we last saw her."

"I see," Sango said, "how far away do you live from here?" Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged another look, which Sango thought was curious, but it was the old woman who answered here.

"The village in which I reside with Kagome and Inuyasha is several days walk from here."

"So you won't be able to stay here long if you have to walk?" Sango asked, her face falling slightly. Kaede nodded.

"I'm afraid even if we acquired horses it would still take some time to get back."

"That's only if you go on the ground though," Sango said, an odd gleam in her eyes.

"How else could we go?" Inuyasha asked snidely.

"Do you mean we should take a boat?" Kagome asked, shooting Inuyasha another glare.

"No, I mean you should fly!" Sango said. Inuyasha snorted in laughter, while Miroku, Sango, and Kagome withheld their shock much better.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" He laughed, "in case you haven't noticed, I may be a demon, but I ain't got wings."

"Demons don't have to have wings to fly," Sango pointed out, "but that isn't what I meant anyway." Sango turned her head halfway towards the bamboo curtain that functioned as a door and raised her voice so she could be heard from the outside. "Kirara, come here please."

Inuyasha snorted once again when the tiny cat, who looked just big enough to fill Kagome's little arms, walked in and mewed cutely.

"Aww," Kagome said, the sound escaping from her before she could stop it.

"Kirara can fly," Sango said proudly, holding her head up high.

"You expect that tiny little thing to be able to carry us all?" Inuyasha asked, his voice somewhere between incredulity and irritation.

Sango looked pointedly over at Kirara and nodded. Some sort of understanding passed between them, similar to how Kagome and Inuyasha communicated without words, and Kirara mewed again, then was consumed by fire.

Kagome screamed in shock, and Inuyasha leapt to his feet and in front of Kagome, holding out his arms so the protection of his robe would extend to her. Kirara mewed, but that mew quickly turned into something much deeper and more terrifying, the roar of a fully grown wild cat. Kagome had only heard the sound on tv before, but she would recognize the sound anywhere. Miroku and Kaede threw up their arms to shield their faces from the heat thrown off by the large tornado of fire that had suddenly appeared in the hut and engulfed the little cat they had all been looking at. Sango, however, appeared to be completely nonplussed by the strange turn of events.

When the fire dispersed, a very large cat with the same markings as Kirara, but had large fangs and the terrifying face of a sabertooth tiger. Inuyasha sank down into a battle stance and bared his claws.

"Relax," Sango said calmly, looking at all of their alarmed faces. "This is just Kirara's other form." Kaede was the first to follow her instructions, lowering her arm from over her face and sitting up straight.

"I see," Kaede said, "I hadn't realized what sort of demon that Kirara was. I've heard about her kind before."

Miroku and Kagome were next to realize there was no danger. Inuyasha, predictably, was the last. He stayed exactly where he was, his claws bared against the demon the was now several times larger than him.

"Stand down, Inuyasha," Sango said, glaring at his extended claws. He didn't.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, "it's alright, Kirara is a good demon, just like you." She laid her hand over his and gently pushed it back down to his side. He didn't resist, probably realizing that there was no danger. Growling, he sat down heavily next to Kagome, still glaring at Sango and Kirara.

"Kirara will be able to carry you to your home village in a fraction of the time, so you can stay longer," Sango said happily. Kagome spun excitedly to face Kaede.

"Did you hear? We don't have to leave tomorrow morning after all!"

"Does your father know you're offering this?" Kaede asked kindly, smiling down at Sango.

"Uh," Sango said, "I'll be right back!" She jumped to her feet and ran out of the door, Kirara looking curiously after her. "Stay here, Kirara!" Kirara blinked, then sat obediently, picking up one of her paws and licking it. Kagome got to her feet and cautiously approached her.

"Hey, Kirara, is it alright if I touch you?" Kagome asked, peering into Kirara's face and wondering if the cat could understand her. A few moments passed that made Kagome think that she couldn't before Kirara lowered her head in what was unmistakably a nod. Kagome's cautious demeanor dropped, and she now walked straight up to the cat and stroked the fur on her head. She heard Inuyasha growling before he spoke.

"Be careful, Kagome," he said. Kagome ignored him. Obviously Kirara wasn't dangerous, or else she would already be hurt. Besides, Kirara had given her permission to touch her anyway.

After seeing Kagome successfully interact with the big cat, Miroku also got to his feet, approaching Kirara and stopping at a respectful distance. He asked the same question that Kagome had, and Kirara gave the same response, so Miroku approached Kirara's other side and began speaking to her as he stroked her fur.

"You are a rather magnificent demon, I was quite shocked to see your second form, or could it be that this is your true form?" Kirara licked his face in response.

Having been unprepared for this, Miroku let out a loud sound of shock and disgust as he was covered in cat demon spit. A sudden burst of laughter came from the direction of the door, and they all turned to see who was there. Sango was outlined in the doorway, grinning and laughing at Miroku.

"She likes you!" Sango said, walking farther into the room and patting Kirara's side. "It's rare that she takes to someone so well so quickly. Sango looked over at Miroku with what seemed to be newfound respect in her eyes. "She's a very good judge of character." Inuyasha scoffed, which drew all of their attention back to him, including Kirara's.

Kagome started when Kirara moved suddenly out from underneath her hand and walked across the room to where Inuyasha was sitting. He tensed, looking ready for a fight, when Kirara laid down next to him and placed her head in his lap.

"Huh?" Inuyasha said, looking down at her in shock.

"No way!" Sango exclaimed, "he's such a jerk!"

"Who are you calling a jerk?" Inuyasha cried angrily. He looked like he was about to say something else, but he was cut off by Kirara's loud purrs.


	8. Four Souls

***A/N- Hey, I'm so sorry this update took so long. I took a stress leave from all my on-going stories so I could deal with some stuff. I don't know how regularly I'm going to be able to post new chapters of this, but I'll try not to be gone for so long again. I'm a still a little out of the groove, but that could be from being gone for so long. Once I get back into it again I'm sure things will go easier. And please forgive me for any mistakes, I no longer have a beta reader. I try to proof read and find errors, but I know I miss somethings.**

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Kagome's visit with her mother was rather short, because she didn't want to leave Sango and Miroku alone on the other side of the well for long. They hadn't been able to pass through the well, to the disappointment of everyone (Everyone except Inuyasha, perhaps). Kagome told all about her adventures and new friends. She told her mother about Inuyasha's fight with Sango as well, and Inuyasha received a scolding for his temper.

"You should try to be kinder and more understanding of strangers, dear," She told him. "You never know what sort of time people are having in their lives. You don't know what sort of pain they face, so it's always better to be kind, don't you think?" Inuyasha's face flushed, and he nodded, avoiding eye contact. Kagome told her mother all about Miroku and Monk Musheen, including the question he had asked her when they first met.

"Oh dear," She said.

"What?" Kagome asked, "what does it mean? Miroku didn't know, he just said it because Musheen does."

"I'll tell you when you're older, dear." Kagome's mother said. "But in the meantime you should take some snacks for your new friends! You don't want to leave them waiting for too long!" Successfully distracted, Kagome began wondering out loud what sort of treats Sango and Miroku would enjoy.

"I still can't get believe you're actually from the future, Kagome!" Sango said, sucking on the lollipop Kagome had given her. "What's it like there?" Kagome opened her mouth to reply, but Inuyasha surprised everyone by beating her to the punch.

"It's loud," he said simply, "and it smells bad." Kagome blinked at him a few times, wondering if he was going to say anything else. When he didn't, Kagome stepped in.

"It's not loud where I live. I live on a shrine away from the city, and it only smells bad if you have a sensitive nose like Inuyasha."

"So what's it like other than that, then?" Miroku asked.

"Crowded." Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded.

"There are a lot of people. Like, more than I've ever seen in a city in this time. And there is more technology," Kagome said, "the vehicles can move themselves, they don't need to be pulled by horses or bulls."

"Really?" Sango asked. "How do they move if nothing is pulling them?"

"I don't know, I'm just a kid!" Kagome said. "I don't care how they move!"

"There are carriages that move on their own in your time and you aren't interested enough to find out how?"

"Sango, it's strange to us, but they're probably normal in Kagome's time. She grew up around them, so they don't fascinate her like they would us."

"Oh," Sango said, "that makes sense I guess."

"It's also really complicated, I think." Kagome said. "Only really smart people know that sort of stuff! I bet Momma would know! Momma knows everything!" Inuyasha scoffed.

"Why would your mom know? She doesn't even have a car!"

"Oh, yeah," Kagome said. "So Momma knows almost everything!"

"Your Mom sounds awesome," Sango said, smiling. Kagome nodded.

"She is! She's really nice and awesome, and she even let Inuyasha move in!"

"So you're living with Kagome?" Miroku said, in a tone of voice that adults sometimes used, but Kagome didn't understand why or what it meant.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, looking just as confused by Miroku's tone of voice as Kagome was.

"Inuyasha even comes to school with me!" Kagome said.

"Yeah, it's lame!" Inuyasha said. "All they do all day is sit in uncomfortable desks and read."

"That's not _all_ we do," Kagome protested. "We have recess where we can go outside and play!"

"Yeah, but they don't even let us climb trees!"

"What's so good about climbing trees anyway?" Kagome asked.

"To get away from all the annoying humans!"

"I'm a human!"

"Yeah, but not one of the annoying ones!" Kagome stopped yelling, surprised briefly by Inuyasha's declaration. He'd never hesitated before in telling her she was annoying or mean. Her face split into a grin. Inuyasha felt his face heat up, and he turned away scoffing.

"If you hate it so much, why do you go?" Sango asked curiously.

"Duh," Inuyasha said, "to protect Kagome!"

"Is it dangerous there?" Miroku asked.

"No!" Kagome said, "but Inuyasha won't believe that, so he just goes to pout and be grumpy!"

"I don't pout!" Inuyasha protested.

"You do so!" Kagome retorted, "You sit in your desk and make a mad face all the time!"

"Do not!"

"Do so!" Kagome and Inuyasha glared at each other for several silent seconds, in which Sango stared, confused, between the pair of them.

"What's happening?" She whispered behind her hand to Miroku.

"They do this sometimes," Miroku said, "it's like they're talking without words. I don't know how, though."

"Maybe they're psychic!" Sango suggested.

"Maybe," Miroku agreed. "That would be cool."

"What are you two jabbering about psychics for?" Inuyasha asked irritatedly.

"We just thought it's strange the way you and Kagome seem to be able to communicate without speaking."

"You're strange!" Inuyasha snapped, obviously still riled up from his silent argument with Kagome.

"Hey!" Sango said, "That was rude!"

"He started it!" Inuyasha said, his head snapping in Sango's direction.

"Did not!" Miroku said.

"Did so! You called me and Kagome weird!"

"That's not what I meant by that!" Miroku exclaimed. "I meant that the way you are able to communicate silently is unusual."

"No it's not! I just know what she's going to say because she always says the same stuff!"

"Hey!" Kagome shouted, "that was mean! I do not!"

"You do so!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Ya-huh!"

"Kagome, what's that around your neck?" Kagome looked away from her renewed argument with Inuyasha to Sango, then down to her neck where Sango was pointing.

"Oh, that's the Sacred Jewel," Kagome said. "It came out of me!"

"It came out of you?" Sango asked. She instinctively reached out for it, then stopped, remembering her manners. "May I?" Kagome thought for a moment, then nodded, lifting the chain over her head. She passed the Jewel to Sango, who held it up to inspect. Miroku huddled closer to her to observe as well.

"Wow," Miroku said. "I've heard about the jewel before from Musheen, but he said it was burned with the body of the maiden who protected it."

"Musheen was right," Kagome said, "Her name was Kikyo, and I'm her reincarnation!" Kagome puffed her chest out importantly, and the effect was not lost on her new friends.

"Wow!" They said together.

"You're the reincarnation of a priestess? That's amazing Kagome!" Sango said.

"Thank you!" Kagome said. "Kikyo was Kaede's older sister, you know! She said I look just like her!"

"Amazing! And what do you mean when you say it came out of your body?" Miroku asked.

Kagome lifted up her shirt in response, showing Miroku and Sango the scar from where Mistress centipede had ripped the jewel from her body.

"I got bit by a really big centipede demon, and the jewel came out of the hole!"

"Wow, thats a bad scar!" Sango said, "It must've hurt a lot." Kagome lowered them hem of her shirt and nodded.

"Yeah, it did! And the stuff Kaede put on it to make it get better stung a lot!"

"Yeah, but I killed the demon that did it!" Inuyasha said. "All by myself!" Miroku and Sango looked at each other incredulously.

"Yeah right!" Sango said.

"As if a baby demon like you could defeat a demon like that all by yourself. I bet Lady Kaede helped you," Miroku replied.

"No way!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "That old bat just stood there and watched while I beat up the centipede!"

"I don't believe that. Kagome," Sango said, turning to her, jewel still in hand, "what really happened." Kagome shook her head.

"No, Inuyasha really killed it all by himself! It was really cool!" Kagome said, smiling when Inuyasha stood up straighter at her praise.

"See!" He said, "I told you so!"

"Yeah," Sango said, handing the jewel back to Kagome, "well that's not half as cool as the fact that the sacred jewel was born in my village!"

"No way!" The other three said at once.

"Yes way!" She said. "Gather 'round, and hear the story! I know it by heart, Father tells it to me as a bedtime story, and it's my favorite!" She said impressively. The other three sat obediently in front of her. Sango made a show of folding her legs underneath her and straightening out her kimono, lengthening the suspense of her friends as long as she could.

"It was over one hundred years ago that it happened. The human and demon races were locked in a seemingly never ending battle. Demons would join their bodies together to form massive more powerful demons that were almost impossible to defeat, but there was a priestess who fought at the front lines of the war who was able to defeat the demons by taking hold of their very souls and purifying them, thus making the demons harmless."

"Whoa," Kagome breathed.

"Midoriko had been fighting for three days and nights straight when it happened. She was seized in the jaws of an enormous demon!"

"Oh no!" Kagome breathed, unable to help herself. Her reaction seemed to please Sango though.

"And with her last ounce of strength, Midoriko took hold of the demons soul to purify it, but in doing so she forced out her own soul, creating the Shikon Jewel. But the battle isn't over yet. Inside the Sacred Jewel, Midoriko battle against the demons still rages on." Several seconds of silence followed Sango's tale, in which everyone gazed at the Jewel in amazement. As they watched, the colors of the Jewel shifted and spun in a way that had all of them believing wholeheartedly the ominous ending of Sango's tale.

"Wow!" Kagome said eventually, "and that all happened in your village?"

"Yes, that's the reason the villages founder chose to build in that exact location, he hoped the priestess remains, which had been preserved in a rock thing, I forget what it's called, would ward off evil."

"You mean she's still there?" Kagome asked, leaning forward excitedly.

"Yes, I've been to see her, you can still see the hole in her chest where the Jewel was forced out. If you want I can take you there and show her. I'm sure she would allow you to enter her cave Kagome, being the protector of the Jewel. Inuyasha and the pervert, though, I'm not so sure about."

"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped.

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked, ignoring Inuyasha's outburst, "that Midoriko would allow Kagome to enter."

"Midoriko is very choosy about who she allows to enter the cave. There is a protective barrier that she herself places there, to keep those who would use the Jewel for evil out."

"Fascinating!" Miroku exclaimed. "I would love to see this cave! And I'm sure a woman of such high spiritual standing would be very beautiful as well…" Miroku let his voice trail away when he saw the look the girls were giving him. "What?"

"You're so weird Miroku," Kagome said. "What does it matter what she looked like?"

"It matters because Miroku is a pervert!" Inuyasha said.

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked, turning to look at Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked a little surprised and embarrassed when she asked.

"Umm," he said.

"You don't know, do you?" Sango asked. Inuyasha cheeks blossomed into a bright pink color.

"Shut up, of course I do, I just don't wanna say it to you girls."

"Whatever," Kagome said.

"Yeah right," Sango agreed.

The truth was Inuyasha _didn't_ really know what the word meant, but he had a feeling that it would apply to Miroku, the way that he'd heard grown ups use it.

"Whatever," Sango said, "what do you want to do now?" She addressed the question at Kagome.

"I don't know," Kagome said thoughtfully, "we should go see if Kaede is nearly done. Because if she is we can fly back to your village and visit the cave with your priestess!"

"Yeah!" Miroku said, "I think that will be really interesting! I can tell Musheen all about it when I get home!"

"Inuyasha, don't you think Gramps would love to hear about this? He loves all sorts of old stuff like this!"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, unable to keep a small smile from splitting his face, except this is real, not like that fake stuff he has." Kagome chuckled.

"What do you think that old foot even belonged to?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha said, "but it certainly wasn't a demon. It smelled like a regular old lizard to me."

"I'll bet it was an alligator foot!" Kagome said. "I wonder where he got it."

"Probably some fake travelling priest told him it was a demon foot and he was just dumb enough to believe it." Kagome snickered.

"And that hole is where the jewel came out?" Kagome asked, looking up at the preserved priestess. Sango nodded.

"Yes, it is."

"Those demons are huge!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Of course you notice the least important thing here," Kagome said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm a demon," Inuyasha pointed out, "of course I'm going to notice that."

"Fair enough," Kagome said, shrugging.

They spent a few more minutes looking up at Midoriko before Inuyasha expressed his boredom and left, the others following after him slowly.

x x x

"So, kids, did you enjoy your trip to the cave?" Sango's father asked over dinner.

"It was alright," Inuyasha said, while the others nodded.

"Ignore him," Kagome said to the headman. "He's just a spoil sport."

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Kagome, Inuyasha," Kaede interjected. "You are being impolite."

"Sorry!" They both chimed, but then proceeded to stare each other down silently, presumably having another one of their silent arguments.

 _You are always a downer!_

 _It's not my fault the cave was boring!_

 _It was not! Aren't you the least bit interested in finding out more about the jewel?_

 _Why should I be?_

 _It was inside me! You were there when it was literally ripped out by a demon._

 _Yeah, that's all I need to know about it!_

 _You're so lame!_

"Hmph," Inuyasha said out loud.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha?" Sango's father asked.

"He and Kagome were probably arguing again," Sango said. Miroku and Kaede nodded.

"Don't be silly Sango," Her father said, "they haven't said anything."

"Kagome and Inuyasha have a special kind of connection," Kaede provided.

"They can talk in each other's minds like psychics!" Miroku said.

"Don't be stupid!" Inuyasha said. "We're not psychic!"

"Don't be rude, Inuyasha!"

"Can they really?" Sango's father looked at Kaede, who shrugged.

"I know they can communicate with each other without words, that much became clear after five minutes with the two, but I don't know what the extent of the connection is."

"How about you stop talking like we're not in the room!" Inuyasha said, irritatedly.

"My apologies," the adults said together.

"It's the same as when we speak aloud, for me," Kagome said thoughtfully. She looked over at Inuyasha, whose face took on a thoughtful expression.

"Yeah, me too." He said.

"Interesting," Miroku said, "maybe you really do have a psychic connection?' Inuyasha scoffed.

"Not likely," Inuyasha said.

"Seems unrealistic to me," Kagome agreed. Sango and Miroku exchanged looks, but Kagome and Inuyasha were oblivious to their incredulity.

Eventually the conversation drifted away from Kagome and Inuyasha's strange connection and onto other things, like how long Kagome and Inuyasha would be staying.

"Um, I have to be back home in a few weeks, but I don't want to spend the entire time in one place. I want to explore, oh, and do some more training with my bow and arrow."

"I still don't see why you want to learn that," Inuyasha said, "You don't need to learn to fight, I'll protect you!"

"Yeah, but I want to help! What happens if we come across a demon that is too strong for just you? I need to be able to help you!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Like any demon could be too strong for me!" Kagome and Kaede exchanged meaningful looks, but remained silent.

"You're training with a bow and arrow?" Sango's father asked. Kagome hesitated, then nodded.

"Well, I haven't started yet, but I wanna learn! Kaede is gonna teach me to be as good as her!" The Headman chuckled.

"I'm sure you will make an excellent shot," he said encouragingly.

"You think so?" Kagome asked, sitting forward excitedly. "Inuyasha doesn't think I can," she added, shooting a dirty look back at the hanyo.

"I never said that!" Inuyasha protested. "I just don't understand why you would need too!"

"Well I've already explained it, so it's not my fault if you're too thick headed to understand!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha objected, "who's being mean now?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kagome said, sitting back in her seat and looking innocent. "I haven't done anything. I'm innocent."

"Whaddya mean, innocent?" Inuyasha spluttered. "You ain't innocent!"

"Sure I am," Kagome said, blinking sweetly at him. Inuyasha scoffed and looked away, refusing to allow Kagome to use her puppy dog face on him.

"Whatever." Kagome hid her snicker from him behind her hand, then finished her bowl of rice. As she set it down she let out an enormous yawn. The kind of yawn that has tears brimming in your eyes. Sango's father chuckled, then looked out through the open sliding door.

"Oh my," he said, "I didn't realize how late it had gotten, it's about time you children got to bed. I've already had bedrolls sent over for you."

"Thank you!" The four of them said.

"Now, my daughter and I will take our leave, so you all can get some rest." The Headman and his daughter bowed and left, and Kaede got to her feet.

"Well, we had better set up our bedrolls before you all fall asleep right here," she said, chuckling good naturedly.

They found the bedrolls in the other room, four of them, stacked up on top of each other. Kaede took one, Miroku another, and Kagome and Inuyasha took one as well. They set theirs up together, leaving an extra still folded in the corner. Miroku glanced at the two of them, but didn't comment, they had slept in the same bed the last two nights as well. Then, as the last rays of sunshine disappeared behind the tops of the trees, the children fell asleep to the sounds of the crickets in the trees.


	9. Training

***A/N- HAAPPYYY BIIRTHHDAY TO YOOUUUU! I'm releasing this chapter in honor of user grapefruitwannabe's birthday! Ily! Im so sorry I made you wait this long for this chapter! *Cries* I'll try to do better in the future!**

The next morning Kagome woke early, before Inuyasha even for once, so she decided that she was going to do a little exploring on her own. She searched through the house for some paper to leave a note, but there wasn't any, so she decided to just go anyway.

"Inuyasha will be able to follow my scent anyway," Kagome reasoned to herself. "And I should be safe in Sango's village."

Kagome walked the path that she remembered to the village square, wondering if the merchants had begun to set up yet. She made her way there and discovered that they were indeed setting up their booths for today. Many of them called out good mornings to her, waving cheerily.

"Mornin' girlie, aren't you a little young to be wandering around all by yourself?" The person who asked her was massive in frame, and he had a large scar running across his brow down to his cheek, contrasting with the bright friendly smile on his face.

"I'm plenty old enough! I'm seven!" Kagome protested, approaching him.

"Is that so, well you're pretty much a grown up, then." He paused for a moment then added, "Oh yeah, you're the young girl that arrived with our little Lady, aren't ya?" Kagome nodded.

"It's nice to see that she's out makin' friends. What's your name?"

"Kagome," she answered.

"Well Kagome, you be sure to take good care of our Little Lady now, you hear?"

"I think she can take care of herself just fine," Kagome commented, thinking back to how Sango slayed the centipede demon on her own. The man chuckled.

"You may be right, Kagome, Sango surely can handle herself. She's going to grow up to be the best slayer in the village I do believe. I don't remember anyone else showing that much talent at a young age."

"Really?" Kagome asked, awed, "that's so cool!"

"And what about you?" He asked, "I saw you holding a bow and arrow on your way in, are you training to be a priestess?"

"Not exactly," Kagome said. "Kaede said I have spiritual power, and she does too and she can use it with her bow and arrow so I wanted to learn to use it too."

"That's sweet, you wanna grow up to be like your grandma?" Kagome nodded.

"I wanna be strong just like Granny and Inuyasha!"

"Well that's a worthy goal!" A voice calling her name made them both turn to the side to see Inuyasha running towards them, looking upset.

"You're awake!" Kagome said, smiling. "I didn't want to wake you up." He came to a halt next to her and took her hand nervously.

"Don't just run off like that," he mumbled.

"Were you worried?" Kagome asked.

"Keh, no," Inuyasha scoffed. Kagome turned her head and nodded conspiratorially at the man she'd just been talking too. He chuckled as Inuyasha led Kagome away, back to the hut they were inhabiting.

X x x

"Wow!" Kagome cooed, "she's so pretty!"

"Why's she made of rock?" Inuyasha asked.

"She's not made of rock!" Sango protested. "She's covered in stag-stalag-stalaga-uh, um…"

"Stalagmite," Her father offered.

"Yeah," she said, "stalagmite."

"What's that?"

"It's a rock that builds up over time!" Kagome answered, remembering the word from science. "Stalagmites are the ones that grow up from the ground, because stalagmite has a 'g' for ground in it!"

"Very good, Kagome!" Sango's father said.

"Thank you!"

"This is the priestess Midoriko, she's the creator of the sacred jewel that came out of your body, Kagome," he went on.

"That's so cool!"

"Indeed," Miroku said, grinning at Sango. She edged away slightly, pressing closer to her father's side. He'd been quite taken with her from the start, although she seemed rather wary of him.

"Did she fight with a bow and arrow?"

"Among other things, I'm sure," Sango's father answered. "She was famous for fighting with a sword."

"Swords are cool!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"I have a sword!" Sango said excitedly, "but I prefer my Hiraikotsu."

"You're Hiraikotsu is so cool!" Kagome said, "it's so big! And you lift it so easily! This morning a villager told me that you were going to be the best in the whole village!" Her father chuckled.

"Indeed," he said, "I wouldn't be surprised if she surpassed all of us." Sango blushed slightly under all the praise.

"Thank you," she said.

"That's it, Kagome," Kaede said, pull it back just like that!"

"A little higher, Sango," her father said.

He was permitting them to use their training ground for Kagome to begin her training, as well as Miroku to continue his. Sango was training with her Hiraikotsu next to Kagome. Inuyasha was looking at the swords.

"Why don't you try one?" Sango's father said. Inuyasha flashed something like a smile and picked one out at random.

"The key to hitting your target is aiming carefully and taking a deep breath before you release your arrow," Kaede said.

"In order to hit your mark, ladies and gentleman, you need focus. On the battlefield when you use your weapon it won't be like this peaceful training ground, it will be loud, and dirty, and you will have to know about everything going on around you in order to avoid losing your life."

"Yeah right," Inuyasha said, "All I need is to be the most powerful person out there and I'll be fine!" Miroku rolled his eyes and swung the bottom of his staff around and knocked Inuyasha's feet out from underneath him.

"Yeah, knowing what's going on around you is a completely useless skill," he said blandly, as Inuyasha sat up angrily.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Miroku?"

"Language, Inuyasha," Kaede commented. The two boys ignored her.

"Proving Sango's father right, apparently." Sango snickered.

"Having a cocky attitude is an easy way to get yourself killed," Sango's Father said, "I've seen many talented slayers killed because they thought they were too good to be gotten." Inuyasha brooded angrily, unable to argue right after having been knocked flat on his back.

The others went back to their training, although Kagome couldn't help but be fascinated by what miroku was doing. He was using one of the archery targets, but he wasn't shooting arrows. Instead, he was throwing little pieces of paper. Eventually Kagome's curiosity got the better of her and she approached him, bow hanging over her shoulder the way she'd seen Kaede do.

"Why are you throwing those papers?"

"I'm practicing my aim with sutras," He said.

"But those aren't sutras," she pointed out, "they're just blank paper."

"I don't know how to write them yet," Miroku confessed, "but I figured I should practice throwing them for when I do! What happens if I'm facing a demon and throw my sutras but miss?" Kagome thought back to how the demon attacked her in the forest the other night while she was defenseless, and how badly it had hurt when Mistress Centipede had ripped the jewel out of her. She shuddered.

"Good idea," she said severely. He nodded.

"How's your aim with your bow and arrow?" He asked brightly, pointing at it.

"Not good," she sighed, resigned. "I keep missing the target."

"I'm sure you'll get it eventually!" Miroku said, smiling encouragingly. "After all you just started, didn't you?" Kagome nodded.

"I could barely hit the target when I first started too!" He said, "Now watch!" He turned and threw all three papers in his hand at once at the target. Kagome watched eagerly as one flew straight past the target, one stuck to the edge, barely hanging on, and one hit the outside ring, plastered wholly on. Kagome bounced up and down on the spot excitedly, clapping her hands.

"Wow, Miroku, you're so amazing!" She said. Miroku blushed slightly and smiled.

"I bet you'll be even better, once you practice a little!" He replied. Kagome grinned.

"These kids certainly have a lot of energy," Sango's father whispered as he accompanied Kaede out of the guest hut, leaving the children all sleeping soundly for their midday nap. "But they seem to have worn themselves out training."

"It bodes well for the future, headman," Kaede said. "Full of energy and hard working." He smiled.

"You're right," he replied. "And it's been good for Sango to get to meet other kids her age. She spends most of her time alone, she's in between two generations of kids here, and doesn't really fit in with either of them."

"She's welcome to travel with us," Kaede said. "Miroku's guardian had the same concern about him, and she seems like she can take care of herself. It'd be no trouble."

"You know what," the headman replied, "I might just take you up on that. She needs to take a break from her training and just be a kid for a while. I'd have to ask her mother of course." Kaede chuckled.

"Yes I met her earlier, Sango will be getting a sibling any day now, won't she?" He nodded.

"She's dying to have a sister, but as I recall, she's already decided that Kagome is her new sister, so maybe she won't be too disappointed if it's a boy." He smiled.

"I'm sure she'll love them just the same," Kaede chuckled.

"I'm sure you're right."

After their nap, the kids were even more full of energy, but since the training grounds were currently in use by grown-ups, they had to find other ways to expand their seemingly endless supply. These other ways included: running through the marketplace and causing general mayhem, tag with Kirara, hide and seek, and running around aimlessly in Sango's house while her father tried to have meetings.

Kaede considered the day a smashing success when it ended with only two shouting matches, one fist fight, and a near-miss with a temper tantrum. When she'd lived her life unmarried and childless, she'd never expected to be charged with so many rowdy children so late in life. Of course, she felt very blessed to have had the fortune of meeting Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango. Each child was special and had their own unique view on the world that constantly reminded Kaede of how differently people can perceive the same situation. She looked forward to each of these children growing up to be wonderful people, who would no doubt spread love and goodness wherever they went.


End file.
